[About the Book]
How much do you really know about Minamata disease, the tragedy that shook Japan in the 1950s?

Often described as the worst industrial pollution disaster in Japanese history, the crisis began with strange behavior in cats and the illness of a single young girl. Drawing on contemporary newspaper reports and primary sources, this powerful documentary traces the more than ten years it took before the government finally acknowledged the true cause of the disease.

As the mysterious “strange illness” spread, corporations denied responsibility, authorities avoided decisive action, and information grew increasingly confused. Symptoms eventually appeared even in unborn children, and similar tragedies emerged in distant regions. The fear and uncertainty surrounding an unknown disease resonate strongly with our own memories of the COVID-19 pandemic, gripping readers with a chilling sense of urgency.

Environmental pollution, toxic exposure, corporate responsibility, and governmental inaction-what happened in Japan, now regarded as a developed nation? What mistakes were made, and what warnings were ignored?

This book invites readers to reconsider what Minamata disease truly was-not merely as a historical event, but as a lasting warning. It is a record dedicated to all who seek to deepen their understanding of environmental justice, industrial disasters, and social responsibility, and who wish to ensure that such tragedies are never repeated.

［Author Profile］
Makoto Futatsuka

1939 - Born in Kumamoto City
1964 - Graduated from Kumamoto University School of Medicine
1969 - Completed graduate studies at Kumamoto University; engaged in research on Minamata disease
1969 - Assistant, Kumamoto University (Public Health)
1987 - Professor, Kumamoto University (Public Health)
2005 - President, Kyushu University of Nursing and Social Welfare
2014 - Advisor, Kumamoto Kinoh Hospital