The Minamata Disaster | The town that was poisoned

It all started with the neighbourhood cats. The people of Minamata, Japan, began to notice their cats were going insane and falling into the sea in the mid-1950s.

Soon after, a strange illness began to spread throughout the town. Minamata residents complained of numbness in their limbs and lips. Some people had trouble hearing or seeing. Others experienced tremors in their arms and legs, walking difficulties, and even brain damage. And, like the cats, some people appeared to be going insane, screaming out of control. Something was causing their nervous system to malfunction.

Finally, in July1959, Kumamoto University researchers discovered the cause of the illness: high levels of mercury poisoning, which they dubbed Minamata disease. But how were all of these people (and cats) poisoned in the first place? This is the story of the Minamata disaster.

All of the research and script writing has been done by myself, this is a story telling channel with the aim of being respectful, factual and entertaining.

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These videos are made for educational purposes only and are compiled using online sources of which I have credited in this videos description.

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#ScaryStories #Horror #History #TrueStories #caving

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[ReconYz]

I love that videos are bite size. Sometimes I don't have long and I know your channel has something for me. Great fringe stories.

[JennyfromOhio]

I’m watching your videos in chronological order. This one definitely feels like I’m being drawn into the story. Proper pauses in storytelling is an art and you’re getting better ❤️

[alaskau]

The dancing cats committing suicide is creepy. It's incredible how the company continued to deny wrongdoing at the expense of so many lives...I love how you get right to the heart of things so succinctly.

[ZombieSazza]

Actually angers me seeing the amount of covering up this company did, and continued dumping when they KNEW what damage they were causing

[sukiplus]

Japan lives off of seafood, and this company was dumping mercury in the waters for fish to store in their fat tissues to inevitably poison everyone who consumed the catch. Horribly negligent, that poor town.

[susanmiller]

Another interesting but tragic story and well done. You’re doing a great job. Nice work with the visual, music and narration.

[robotaholic]

those poor kittens ugh - kittens are the cutest thing on this planet. so sad they had to go through that-

[mijiyoon]

*Eugene Smith* a famous photojournalist covered this early on & was attacked by Thugs who beat him & left him injured for life b/c he covered this story; thugs hired by people who did not want this out about the pollution

[lisafink]

The evil exposed in this movie is simply astounding. The fact that there was no criminal accountability and the Japanese government allowed this company to continue to poison its citizens is an abomination.

[pauchiari]

How the heck has humanity survived humanity until now?

[kspen]

Absolutely disgusting that the company denied they did anything wrong and continued dumping mercury into the water for many more years.

[dangerouscoffeeangelkeen]

I find your videos tragic, extremely sad but fascinating

[maximillian]

Poor cats who took the first hit of this insanity. And then poor people who got poisoned. You cant really help people with mercury poisoning after a point as there is just too much in their systems for the body to clean out. Its an awful way to go.

[anikajain]

Thanks, great vid. Just subscribed after Fascinating Horror recommended your channel. Not disappointed! 💕 😊

[kellysaunooke]

Thats terrible. SO many people having to suffer because of chemicals being released into the bsy.I am glad the people are getting some monies they deserve.

[druidia]

The board of that corporation should have been hung.

[fireallergy]

I had an ex gf whose dad was in the service around the vietnam era. He talked about the minimata women, but he thought the issue was from them trying to help the victims from Nagasaki and getting radiation damage themselves and passing it onto their kids. I guess he was wrong, but he said seeing and being near those poor people was one of the most impactful moments of his life

[jennifersmith]

i lived in Japan for 8 yrs and never knew this story

[AllBenefits]

Now Japan is dumping nuclear waste in the sea again..

[Squidknee]

“Others lost their sight and some their vision.”