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2005 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

Environmental Sociology on Victimizers-Victims Relationships about Problem of Itai-itai Disease and Cadmium poisoning

Research Project

Project/Area Number 15530330
Research Category

Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)

Allocation TypeSingle-year Grants
Section一般
Research Field Sociology
Research InstitutionThe National University Corporation Nara University of Education

Principal Investigator

WATANABE Shinichi  The National University Corporation Nara University of Education, Department of Education, Associate Professor, 教育学部, 助教授 (70270139)

Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) FUJIKAWA Ken  Meijigakuin University, Department of Sociology, Associate Professor, 社会学部, 助教授 (80308072)
Project Period (FY) 2003 – 2005
KeywordsItai-itai disease / Cadmium poisoning / Cadmium nephropathy / Ichi River / Kakehasi River / the Environmental Agency / Pollution
Research Abstract

Environmental cadmium pollution causes cadmium poisoning. The first cadmium-polluted area ever discovered in the world was the Jinzu River basin in Toyama Prefecture in Japan. In this area, the river was contaminated by slag from a mine and the soil of the rice paddies was polluted with heavy metals through irrigation water.
Consequently, prolonged exposure to cadmium due to contaminated water and rice resulted in an excessive accumulation of cadmium in the body tissues, especially in the kidney, in the inhabitants of the basin.
The most severe case of cadmium poisoning is Itai-itai disease(osteomalacia), which was officially recognized as a pollution-related disease by the Japanese government in 1968, and a less severe case is Cadmium nephropathy (tubular kidney dysfunction). In other words, the occurrence of Itai-itai disease is only the "tip of the iceberg". The tubular kidney dysfunction is the earliest and most prevalent adverse result of chronic cadmium poisoning. The Japan Public Health Association Cadmium Research Committee, supported by the Environmental Agency, carried out health surveys in cadmium-polluted areas of 8 prefectures during the period of 1976-1984 and reported that many cases of tubular kidney dysfunction were found not only in Toyama but also in Ishikawa, Hyogo and Nagasaki prefectures. However, the Environmental Agency and the research committee have never certified this kidney dysfunction as a pollution-related disease. We considered why this situation has arisen in the case of cadmium poisoning.
Another main theme of this study is to describe the history of damages and struggle around cadmium pollution in Ichi River Basin in Hyogo Prefecture and Kakehasi River Basin in Ishikawa Prefecture, based on interviews with patients, families of patients and other agents from the viewpoint of environmental sociology.

  • Research Products

    (4 results)

All 2005

All Journal Article (4 results)

  • [Journal Article] 環境省研究班における「医学論争」を考える-因果関係の認否をめぐって-2005

    • Author(s)
      渡辺伸一
    • Journal Title

      第23回 イタイイタイ病セミナー講演集(発行 : イタイイタイ病対策協議会・神通川流域カドミウム被害団体連絡協議会)

      Pages: 7-23

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
  • [Journal Article] 公害被害放置の諸要因-イタイイタイ病発見の遅れと現在に続く被害-2005

    • Author(s)
      藤川 賢
    • Journal Title

      環境社会学研究(発行 : 環境社会学会) 11号

      Pages: 103-116

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
  • [Journal Article] A Study of Medical Disputes in the Commission of Scientists Set Up by the Environmental Agency2005

    • Author(s)
      WATANABE Shinichi
    • Journal Title

      The Proceedings of 23th Seminar of Itai-itai Disease

      Pages: 7-23

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
  • [Journal Article] Several Factors to the Neglect of Pollution Related Disease : The Case of Itai-itai Disease2005

    • Author(s)
      FUJIKAWA Ken
    • Journal Title

      The Journal of Environmental Sociology Vol.11

      Pages: 103-116

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より

URL: 

Published: 2008-05-27  

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