Japan's Emperor to Minamata Disease Victims: "I Would Like to Build a Society with You Where We Can Live in Truth"

His Majesty's remark was unscheduled, and frighteningly candid particularly when a new national security legislation is slated to become the law of the land despite 80% of unprecedented 90,000 public comments received by the national government in 15 days in September this year are against hasty adoption of the law.

Asahi Shinbun (10/28/2013) reports that the Emperor and the Empress visited Minamata City in Kumamoto Prefecture in Kyushu for the first time and spoke with the victims of Minamata disease - neurological syndrome caused by severe mercury poisoning caused by the release of methylmercury in the industrial wastewater from the Chisso Corporation's chemical factory, which continued from 1932 to 1968.

His word about a society where people can live in truth came after talking with the victims, many of whom hid the disease and didn't apply for recognition as the disease victim in fear of discrimination.

From Asahi Shinbun, the emperor's words, after he heard one of the victims who hid his disease:

本当にお気持ち、察するに余りあると思っています。やはり真実に生きるということができる社会をみんなで作っていきたいものだと改めて思いました。

I can't even begin to imagine how you must have felt. I would like to build a society with everyone where we can live in truth.

　本当に様々な思いを込めて、この年まで過ごしていらしたということに深く思いを致しています。

I am deeply feeling [your pain] that you have lived with so many thoughts and feelings.

　今後の日本が、自分が正しくあることができる社会になっていく、そうなればと思っています。みながその方に向かって進んでいけることを願っています。

I hope that the future Japan will become a society where one can be his/her true self. I pray that we can all move toward that direction.

The maternal grandfather of the Crown Princess was the president of Chisso Corporation from 1964 to 1971. Some hold him responsible for the delay in saving and compensating the victims.

Just like TEPCO today, Chisso was kept as a corporation, instead of bankruptcy, under the pretext that Chisso needed to make money so that it could pay the victims.

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