Itai-itai disease, one of Japan's Four Big Pollution Diseases, exposed the severe public health consequences of industrial cadmium contamination.
Key Facts
- Disease onset
- Around 1912 in Toyama Prefecture
- Cause
- Cadmium released into rivers by mining companies
- Symptoms
- Severe bone/joint pain, softened bones, kidney failure
- Remediation start
- 1972
- Remediation largely complete
- 2012
- Classification
- One of the Four Big Pollution Diseases of Japan
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Mining companies operating in the mountains of Toyama Prefecture discharged cadmium into local rivers beginning around 1912. This contaminated water and soil used by downstream communities, exposing residents to chronic cadmium poisoning through food and water consumption over many decades.
Itai-itai disease was a mass cadmium poisoning epidemic in Toyama Prefecture, Japan, named for the severe pain victims experienced in their spine and joints. The condition also caused softening of bones and kidney failure. It became recognized as one of Japan's Four Big Pollution Diseases.
Affected residents successfully sued the responsible mining companies for damages. Cleanup efforts began in 1972 and were largely complete by 2012, with costs shared among Mitsui Mining, Japan's national government, and the Gifu and Toyama prefectural governments. The case helped shape Japan's environmental and pollution liability laws.