In Minamata-Juku Committee of “Moyai” sectional group of the 50th anniversary of the official discovery of Minamata Disease Program, people living in Minamata area played a key role in making “Minamatafs promises” as self-declaration of residents.
Never to cause sad and painful tragedy again such as Minamata Disease, it is a precondition to choose the way of living that won’t sacrifice creature and nature.
We would like to make “Minamata’s promises”a standard of such a way of thinking and ask for understanding and practice of everyone.

Minamata-Juku Committee

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Minamata’s Promises

Through the history of the past fifty years in Minamata, there have been many failures. Through these experiences, Minamata has learned how difficult it is to restore the polluted natural environment and the confused social environment. Looking toward the next fifty years, we will reconsider our relationships with nature, our ways of living, our industrial activities, and our community through moyai, a local word meaning “re-mooring,” in order to brighten our lives. We will create a town which truly cherishes people, cherishes nature, and cherishes the place in which we live.

1. Minamata values life.
2. When there are changes in our surroundings, we will value the voices of those from that area and will not ignore the problems but will investigate thoroughly.
3. The purpose of industrial activity is not merely to seek profit, but to support a truly abundant life.
4. The job of government officials is to work with residents to create happy lives.
5. Going beyond the age of mere material abundance, we will create spiritually abundant and satisfied lives.
6. There are no mistakes than cannot be corrected, and we will frankly recognize errors we have committed and act to make up for them.
7. While looking back at the past and envisioning the future, we will give ear to the opinions of the minority and work build our own region through our own efforts.
8. Conveying our experience with Minamata disease means conveying the importance of life.

translated by Timothy S. George, October 12, 2006