1. ^aDepartment of Environmental Epidemiology, Okayama University Graduate School of Environmental Science, 1–1 Tsushima-naka, 3-chome, Kita-Ku, Okayama 700-8530, Japan
2. ^bDepartment of Epidemiology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shikata-cho, 2-5-1, Kita-Ku, Okayama 700-8558, Japan
3. ^cDepartment of Econoinformatics, Himeji Dokkyo University, Kamiono, 7-2-1, Himeji, Hyogo 670-8524, Japan
4. ^dDepartment of Health Care Administration and Management, Kyushu University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Higashi-ku, Umaide, 3-1-1, Fukuoka-city 812-8582, Japan

Correspondence: Toshihide Tsuda,

Abstract

We present the history of Minamata disease in a chronological order from the public health point of view. Because the appropriate public health response – to investigate and control the outbreak – as set out in the Food Sanitation Act was not conducted, no one knew how many became ill following the outbreak. Exposure could not be stopped. In our discussion, we offer two reasons as to why the Japanese public health agencies did not apply the Act: social circumstances in the 1950s and 1960s that placed emphasis on industrial development, and the Japanese medical community's lack of knowledge about the Act. The history of Minamata disease shows us the consequences when public health responses are not implemented. Minamata disease should be an invaluable lesson for future public health responses.