The issue of itai-itai disease, one of Japan's four major pollution-related diseases, was fully resolved on Tuesday as the company that caused the pollution and a victims' group agreed on a compensation package.
Mitsui Mining & Smelting Co., which is responsible for the pollution that caused the disease in areas along the Jinzugawa river in Toyama Prefecture, will pay compensation to sufferers of cadmium nephropathy, a kidney disorder.
Cadmium nephropathy is regarded as a preceding stage leading to itai-itai, or "it hurts, it hurts," disease. However, sufferers are not recognized by the government as victims of pollution-related diseases.
Mitsui Mining President Sadao Senda and Kunihiro Takagi, head of the victims' organization, signed the deal in Toyama city. Toyama Gov. Takakazu Ishii acted as a witness.
Due to kidney tubule failure, nephropathy patients suffer from brittle bones due to a loss of calcium through urine.
Itai-itai disease affected people who consumed water and rice contaminated by cadmium in the Jinzugawa river. The cadmium came from the Kamioka mine in Gifu Prefecture.
Source: Yomiuri
