Environmental Sociology on Damages and Struggle around Cadmium Pollution

2001 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

• Project/Area Number: 11410051
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: 社会学(含社会福祉関係)
• Research Institution: Nara University of Education (2001); Tokyo Metropolitan University (1999-2000)
• Principal Investigator: WATANABE Shinichi Nara University of Education, Faculty of Education, Associate Professor, 教育学部, 助教授 (70270139)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): FUJIKAWA Ken Meiji Gakuin University, Department of Sociology, Associate Professor, 社会学部, 助教授 (80308072)
• Project Period (FY): 1999 – 2001
• Keywords: Itai-itai disease / cadmium pollution / renal tubular dysfunction / Jinzu River Basin / Tsusima Island / Usui River Basin (Annaka city)

Research Abstract

This is a report of sociological case studies on environmental cadmium pollution. While Itai-itai disease, osteomalacia induced by cadmium pollution, is world-famous, it has been indicated that cadmium is toxic at lower concentrations than was anticipated about thirty years ago as a cause of renal tubular dysfunction. Medical disputes around the adverse effect in cadmium poisoning have been continued for more than thirty years in relation with the issues on the cadmium polluted rice and the restoration of polluted soil. This report reveals the socio-economical aspects of the disputes as well as the measures of victims, residents, medicines and national and local governments.
Another main theme of this study is to describe the history of damages and struggle around cadmium pollution in Jinzu River Basin in Toyama Prefecture, Tsusima Island in Nagasaki Prefecture and Usui River Basin in Gunma Prefecture, based on interviews with patients, families of patients and other agents from the viewpoint of environmental sociology. We also consider the social extension of damages originated in cadmium pollution diseases.