The Minamata Story
By Sean Michael Wilson, Illustrated by Akiko Shimojima (Stone Bridge Press)
- Non-fiction
- Set in Japan
Keywords: graphic novel, pollution, disease, activism, empathy
A powerful graphic novel /manga that tells the story of “Minamata disease,” a debilitating and sometimes fatal condition caused by the Chisso chemical factory’s careless release of methylmercury into the waters of the coastal community of Minamata in southern Japan. First identified in 1956, it became a hot topic in Japan in the 1970s and 80s, growing into an iconic struggle between people versus corporations and government agencies.
This struggle is relevant today, not simply because many people are still living with the disease but also because, in this time of growing concern over the safety of our environment–viz. Flint, Michigan–Minamata gives us as a very moving example of such human-caused environmental disasters and what we can do about them.
The manga format is often used in Japan to bring serious adult subjects forward, enabling the young and old to become more informed on sensitive social issues. For example, Hadashi no gen (Barefoot Gen), Kaze tachinu (The Wind Rises), and Sōin gyokusai-se yo (Onward toward Our Noble Deaths) all deal with World War II.
The Minamata Story was written to raise awareness of the environmental catastrophe of mercury poisoning in Japan and to promote environmental activism. The main character is a Japanese college student whose father is British. The events are portrayed from a Western perspective, a critical look at how the incidents were handled by the Japanese. The photographer on which the cover is based is W. Eugene Smith, a well-known American photographer. The graphic art is by the Japanese manga artist Akiko Shimojima.
Minamata Disease
The book begins with a brief history of Minamata (pronounced: ME-na-ma-ta) disease and the turning points in determining the cause, demonstrations, and discrimination against the sufferers of this strange disease. This is followed by a description of monetary compensation to the victims. The story is told from the perspective of a college student and his grandmother, who has clear memories of living in the Minamata area when the disease caused so much suffering. At the end of the story, they renew their commitment to environmental activism.
Beginning in the 1920s, the chemical corporation Chisso released discharge water containing mercury in the coastal city of Minamata, on the southern island of Kyushu. Chisso acknowledged that the mercury pollution was causing damage to the fishing industry in the area, which led to monetary compensation agreements in 1923 and 1936 with the local fishermen’s union. The agreements did not stop the practice, however, and throughout the following decades, the pollutant continued to flow into the bay. In the mid-1950s, a sudden outbreak of mercury poisoning occurred in this area. A local university research team determined that the cause of the strange disease was acute mercury poisoning. The government agency that regulated the industry eventually agreed to the findings and held Chisso accountable for polluting the bay.
The researchers discovered that the disease was caused by the ingestion of methylmercury, a powerful neurotoxin, by consuming fish and other seafood that had accumulated a large amount of methylmercury. The symptoms were first noted in small animals like cats and crows that were found dead or behaving strangely. Symptoms in people included numbness, lack of coordination, difficulty seeing, swallowing, and hearing. Convulsions, coma, and even death followed these symptoms. Congenital cases were also reported. Chisso denied any responsibility but agreed to compensate the victims without admitting any wrongdoing. Impatient with the inaction of Chisso and the regulating government agencies, people took to the streets to demonstrate.
In the following legal fights between the victims and Chisso, the company’s responsibility was officially acknowledged, and the company as well as the prefectural government compensated Minamata victims. By May 2023, more than ¥417,300 million (US$2.8 billion in 2024) was paid to more than 2,284 certified victims and for the cleanup and other projects related to the damage. Additional lawsuits are pending; these litigations continue today.
Minamata disease is one of the four major diseases caused by environmental catastrophes in Japan. The other three are itai-itai (pronounced: E-tie E-tie) disease, a painful condition caused by cadmium poisoning in Toyama prefecture (1930s to 1965); mercury poisoning in Niigata prefecture in the 1970s, which occurred in similar circumstances to Minamata disease; and the outbreak of asthma and other respiratory problems in the 1960s, caused by air pollution in Yokkaichi City, Mie prefecture.
Public sentiments about social and political issues are not often expressed in the form of demonstrations in Japan. Large-scale political activism took place in the late 1960s and early 1970s when radicalized students fought to reshape university governance, fight against the ratification of the U.S.–Japan Security Treaty and demonstrate against the Vietnam War. In more recent years, demonstration-worthy events that catch people’s attention have rarely occurred. People have protested against the presence of American military bases and the servicemen’s behavior outside of the bases, a sore point for many Japanese since the end of World War II. The 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami brought the issue of nuclear power safety to the fore and attracted a high number of demonstrators in 2012.
According to one survey, most Japanese do not believe that public demonstrations can change society and that it is a waste of time to be involved in political activity. They are generally not interested in becoming politically active. An example of this attitude may be seen in their attitude to nature. Despite the general perception that the Japanese love nature (and they do), they do not take an active role in protecting nature. Their apathy toward politics is symbolized by the low voter turnout in national elections, where less than 56% voted for the lower house in 2021 and only 52% for the upper house in 2022.
Although we are always cautioned against judging a book by its cover, the striking pieta—a reference to the Virgin Mary holding the dead body of Jesus Christ in her lap—conveys the emotional impact of this environmental tragedy. This is underscored by the foreword by Brian Small, who regards this book as a call for action. The cover illustration could be based on W. Eugene Smith’s iconic Tomoko and Mother in the Bath(available copyright free found at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tomoko_and_Mother_in_the_Bath) or another work by Smith on the Magnum Photos website: https://www.magnumphotos.com/arts-culture/society-arts-culture/w-eugene-smith-minamata-warning-to-the-world/.
Author: Hiroshi Nara, emeritus professor, University of Pittsburgh
2025
The world needs young people to keep pushing for positive change.
~The Minamata Story (pg. 86)
Appropriate for Grades: 6–12
Best for Grades: 6–8
Introduction to the Book
The Minamata Story: An EcoTragedy is an informational text told in the form of a graphic novel with a combination of real and fictional characters. Although a few references require some background knowledge, the format is highly accessible to teen readers. Moreover, since the graphic novel is so short, the time commitment for reading the text is minimal.
The Minamata (pronounced: me-NAH-MA-tah) Story offers a plethora of meaningful topics of inquiry. As such, it can readily guide entire unit curriculums or adapt to existing unit curriculums, especially units in visual arts, humanities, and sciences (chemical, biological, and environmental).
Best Matched Curricular Units
- Empathy and activism for the marginalized (Humanities)
- Human impacts on environment and ecology (Science)
- Neural diseases (Science)
- Illustration of facial expression (Visual Arts)
Essential Questions
- How are ecologies and communities intertwined?
- What role should the government play in public health?
- How can citizens best affect policy change?
Key Vocabulary
- Archipelago
- Methylmercury
- Plankton
- Bioaccumulation
- Sludge
- Neural
Essential Background Information
A. Geography of Japan in relation to bodies of water:
“No one lives further than seventy miles from the coast, so Japanese are oriented to the sea, even though their land is mountainous. Nearly all the people live on several flat coastal plains where it has been possible to farm.” (SPICE)
B. Seafood diet in Japan, especially coastal towns:
“Japan is a maritime nation surrounded by the ocean…The Oyashio and Kuroshio currents carry small fish close to the coastal areas, and they attract packs of larger fish in pursuit, so there is an abundance of fishing grounds along the coasts.” (All About Japan)
C. Japanese discrimination against those afflicted by illness (atomic bomb survivors, lepers) in the past:
“Hibakusha [atomic bomb survivors] also faced social stigma. Because no one really understood how radiation worked, many feared it and anyone it affected. As a result, hibakusha were deemed social pariahs in Japanese society.” (Outrider) (Hibakusha is pronounced: he-BAH-KU-shah)
“Japan believed it had to get rid of its impure elements, which included victims of leprosy.” (CIOMAL)
Several cross-curricular activities are included below, followed by suggested discussion and writing prompts. Page numbers from the book refer to the inspiration for each activity.
Suggested Activities
Front Cover Examination. Before reading the book, look at the cover. Ask students to identify objects or places they recognize in the cover art (mountains, boats, etc.). Have students raise questions in response to the cover art (for example, Why does the woman look sad? Is she the child’s mom? What’s that red thing near the mountain?). Using the images and words on the cover, invite students to make predictions for the story.
Teacher Note: The back cover reveals the entire story, so this activity would best be done by projecting the front cover on a screen before handing out books to the students.
Geography (pg. 2). In small groups or as a class, decode the meaning of the maps. Once students understand the maps, use Google Earth to search for the locations. Explore Chisso’s geographic landmarks—mountains, water, buildings, etc.
Make a Mascot (pg. 10). We are introduced to the city mascot Kumamon. Japan famously has many mascots, especially for sports teams and cities. Search online for additional Japanese city mascots and share some favorites. Discuss common traits found among the different mascots. Using these common traits, invite students to imagine mascots for their hometowns.
Upcycle Project (pg. 30). In small groups, identify something at school that is commonly thrown away but could be reused. Come up with a way to reuse the objects, and then gather materials to develop a proof of concept.
Negative Chain Reactions. Throughout the book, the author presents negative chain reactions resulting from mercury poisoning: children with neural diseases get bullied into suffering mental difficulties (pg. 43); losses in the cat population lead to rat infestations and then food contamination (pg. 60); and as families lose their livelihoods, riots ensue (pg. 81). Have students think about (or research) another environmental problem and illustrate a three-part negative chain reaction stemming from that issue.
Mercury Research (end of book). Mercury continues to impact human food consumption today, even in the United States. Research the various sources of mercury in the American diet today.
Other Chemical Research (end of book). Provide students with a list of common sources of harmful chemicals found in many home environments. The list might include spray paint, weed killer, pesticides, vaping products, makeup, and plastics. From the list, choose a chemical source and research the harmful chemicals it contains. Consider the chemical effects as well as populations already affected.
Suggested Discussion and Writing Prompts
Prediction (pg. 8). Why is the cat behaving so strangely?
Compare and Contrast (pgs. 4–5, 16). Discuss the purposes of the images, which illustrate mercury’s path into the human body. How are the illustrations similar? How do they differ? Is one more effective than the other? If so, why?
Fear Builds Tension (pg. 21). Why would the fishermen and fish retailers fight with each other? Does it make sense?
Bullying (pg. 38). Why do people bully those who are different? Who can help?
Fish Debate (pg. 51). Debate which is more dangerous: the dead fish or the living fish in Minamata water?
Protests (pg. 101). Explore recent examples of environmental protests happening in countries other than Japan or the United States. How have some protests been more effective than others? What protest do you think is the most important to support at this time?
Josh Foster, educator and learner, Instructor of Film Studies and English Literature, A. Mario Loiederman Middle School for the Creative and Performing Arts, Maryland
2022