Japan court orders compensation to 26 unrecognized Minamata victims

A Japanese district court on Thursday ordered a chemical maker to pay 4 million yen ($26,000) each to 26 unrecognized sufferers of the Minamata mercury-poisoning disease, while dismissing claims against the Japanese government.The Niigata District Court recognized that 26 of the 47 plaintiffs in the lawsuit, who were not eligible for relief payments under a special law that went into force in 2009, were victims of the disease.The plaintiffs had sought 8.8 million yen each in damages against the state and the chemical company, Showa Denko K.K., currently known as Resonac Holdings Corp., resp…READ FULL ARTICLE