Itai-itai Disease - Economic Costs

Economic Costs

The cadmium pollution had contaminated many agricultural areas. Heavy metal pollution affected many areas in Japan, and as a result the Prevention of Soil Contamination in Agricultural Land Law of 1970 was enacted. It ordered planting to be stopped so that restoration of the soil could be enacted to areas with 1ppm of cadmium or more contamination in the soil. Surveying in Toyama Prefecture began in 1971, and by 1977 1500 hectacres along the Jinzū river were designated for soil restoration. These farmers were compensated for lost crops as well as for lost production in past years by the Mitsui Mining and Smelting, Toyama Prefecture, and the national government. As of 1992, only 400 hectares remained contaminated.

In 1992, the average annual health expense compensation was ¥743 million. Agricultural damage was compensated with ¥1.75 billion per year, or a total of annually ¥2.518 billion. Another ¥620 million were invested annually to reduce further pollution of the river.

On 17 March 2012, officials concluded the cleanup project of the cadmium-polluted areas in the Jinzu River basin. Eight-hundred sixty-three hectares of topsoil had been replaced since the cleanup began in 1979 at a total cost of ¥40.7 billion. The project had been financed by the Japanese national government, Mitsui Mining, and the Gifu and Toyama prefectural governments.