Minamata Disease Ceremony to Be Held on 70th Anniversary of Its Official Recognition in Japan

The Yomiuri Shimbun

15:21 JST, January 28, 2026

A ceremony marking the 70th anniversary of the official recognition of Minamata disease, a form of mercury poisoning caused by polluted industrial wastewater, will be held on May 1 in Minamata, Kumamoto Prefecture.

The ceremony’s executive committee, composed of entities such as patient and victim groups and the Minamata city government, made the decision on Tuesday. The aim of the annual ceremony is to share to the world the lessons of Minamata disease, which was reportedly the first pollution-related illness to be confirmed in Japan. Around 700 to 800 attendees are expected.

At the committee meeting, a participant requested the city government to “not treat the 70th anniversary as merely a milestone, but to urge the central and Kumamoto prefectural governments to achieve a comprehensive resolution.”