[1] A local chemical plant was blamed for causing the disease by emitting untreated wastewater into Minamata Bay.

[6] On July 29, 1997, a Minamata Bay Safety Declaration was issued, nets had been removed and the environment was pronounced safe.

However, paths of transformation of inorganic to organic mercury were unknown or uncertain at that time and so the effluent from Chisso was not identified as the sought source.

It took 9 more years until the government officially acknowledged mercury-containing effluent from local acetaldehyde chemical plants to be the cause of Minamata disease.

[7] Since then, victims of Minamata disease have been compensated by Chisso and both local and national governments, due to the lawsuits won and official relief programs.

Minamata disease attracted global attention in 1972 during the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment held in Stockholm.

Evidence of the misery caused by heavy environmental pollution revealed the downside of Japan's post-war rapid economic development to the global public.

[12] The Institute seeks to improve medical treatment of Minamata disease patients and conducts research on mercury compounds and their impact on organisms as well as potential detoxification mechanisms.

In April, 2008 the Institute invented a method for adsorbing gaseous mercury in order to prevent air pollution and enable recycling of the metal.

[13] For an overview of research in 2012, see website list of research Despite the fact that anti-pollution measures and patient-support programmes started in the 1970s, it took four more decades for the Government to fully admit responsibility and apologize on-site; on 1 May 2010 Prime Minister Hatoyama was the first Prime Minister to participate in a yearly-held Memorial Service for the Victims of Minamata Disease and to so demonstrate regret on behalf of the national government.

[7] Minamata Eco-Town constitutes a set of environmental goals and initiatives, which seek to turn the town's negative legacy into a positive present and future.

[6] In respect of envisaged sustainable development, the municipal government addressed environmental challenges along the social ones; A Declaration of the Construction of Eco-City Model was launched in 1992.

[16] A Prize for the Environment was established to promote sustainability across Japan and South-East Asia[6] and a prefectural environmental centre was built in Minamata.

[1] Other major events and achievements: Currently, Minamata employs a plan of reducing greenhouse gases by 32% in 2020 and by 50% in 2050 compared to 2005.

Major activities of "Women's Liaison Meeting for Reducing Waste" are:[20] The municipal office of Minamata City obtained ISO 14001, international standard for environmental management, in February 1999.

This is to improve the status and consciousness of craftsman and promote the creation of safe and sound commodities in consideration of environment and health, reflecting their experience with Minamata disease.

In the first year, fiscal 1998, nine craftsmen engaged in the activities of paper making, and the production of tea leaves, bread, tangerine oranges, vegetables, rice or eggs were certified.

For some time in the past, Minamata-made products were not favorably accepted on the market due to the bad image of the city.

Nonetheless, people in Minamata have learned through experience the dreadfulness of environmental pollution and because of this, they can now produce truly safe and harmless products.

When the nets were removed sardine catching started to flourish and there now are full-time and part-time fishers, who combine fishing with other jobs.

[28] Other generalized goals serve to maintain and improve absorption levels of carbon dioxide, and revitalize the sea with abundant marine plant life.

[3] The "Environmental Meister Programme" certification focuses on environment and health, but not on a specific field of production, which is quite unique.

In 2000, Minamata City obtained ISO14001 certification to reduce environmental burdens associated with service businesses for citizens.

[3] The city drew up a version of ISO, for various service businesses for citizens, such as an office, home, preschool and hotel.

The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) established a training program in which participants can learn the lessons of Minamata.