A Japanese district court orders the state and others to pay a total of 350 million yen ($2.3 million) in damages to 128 unrecognized sufferers of the Minamata mercury-poisoning disease, making it the first such ruling among similar lawsuits filed nationwide over the country's redress measure.
OSAKA Plaintiffs expressed long-sought-after vindication on Sept. 27 that a district court finally acknowledged that they were also victims of Minamata disease and entitled to relief from the government.