HydrionisGlobal Water Intelligence
Enforcement action

Chisso Corporation — Minamata liability

Japanese courts action against Chisso Corporation: Discharge of methylmercury causing widespread neurological disease.

Japanenforcement

Key facts

Regulator or court
Japanese courts
Subject
Chisso Corporation
Date
1973-03-20

Violation

Discharge of methylmercury causing widespread neurological disease.

Outcome

Found liable for negligence. Compensation obligations continued for decades and remain a live legal question.

Related intelligence

Minamata diseasesame placeSouthern Water — record penalty for wastewater offencessame topic3M — PFAS public water system settlementsame topicDuPont and Chemours — PFAS settlementssame topicThames Water — Thames pollution finesame topicYorkshire Water — Ofwat enforcement packagesame topicFlint — criminal proceedings against state officialssame topic

Sources

Hydrionis would like to measure which pages are read, using Google Analytics. It stores an identifier on your device, so we only do it if you agree. Nothing is stored if you decline, and the site works identically either way. See cookies for what is set and how to change your mind.