Home > Outline of Japan's Industrial Pollution Abatement > Preventative Measures Against Water Pollution Jinzu River, Toyama Prefecture > 1) System of countermeasures at the pollution-generating source
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Update:April 1, 2010
4,COUNTERMEASURES AT POLLUTION-GENERATING SOURCE
After the court's decision on the itai-itai disease, countermeasures taken at the pollution-generating source were promoted as the starting point of the "Pollution Prevention Agreement" concluded in 1972 between Mitsui Mining and Smelting and the victims. The agreement recognized the right of victims to gather information and obliged Mitsui Mining and Smelting to disclose this information. It specified the following;
Though these problems were somewhat generalized, thorough countermeasures at the pollution generating source were needed. Professional investigative research was deemed necessary towards grasping a clear picture of the situation surrounding these problems, Therefore, starting in 1974, universities were asked to investigates the following 5 points,
Results from studies were fed back to victims and used to propose necessary countermeasures to Mitsui Mining and Smelting.
Results were compiled into a general report on commissioned research entitled "Countermeasures against Pollution from the Kamioka Mines Following the Court Ruling on the Itai-itai Disease", and thereafter served as the basis to all pollution preventative action taken at the mines.
Futhermore, starting in 1979, the Kamiaka Mines issued a yearly report on pollution preventative action taken at the mines. By publicizing the report, a system was built whereby both the victim and the aggressor could verify and assess the effort of countermeasures against pollution taken at the source.