124
6.2.6 Why Did Environmental Governance and Pollution
Control Technologies Fail? (Techno-Legislative
FRAMING)
The second way of framing the problems of Minamata disease is how environmental governance and pollution control technologies worked. In reality, no environmental governance or regulation was in place when Minamata disease was first
officially acknowledged in 1956. After many years, people finally realized the huge
sacrifice – health damage to the victims and the social discrimination they were
forced to endure – and public opinion supporting victims finally formed. Once this
public opinion formed, the national government established environmental administration systems including enforcement of The Basic Law for Environmental
Pollution Control in 1967 and other related environmental laws such as the Water
Pollution Control Law and the Air Pollution Control Law in the following years,
and foundation of Environmental Agency (predecessor of present-day Japanese
Ministry of Environment) (1971). Moreover, enterprises also started following the
new regulations designed to protect the environment or face consequences.
Industry and enterprises also started developing technologies to minimize pollution which led to rapidly and dramatically improved environmental quality. The
technology and social system established in this way still functions well, achievements of which the Japanese can be proud; and what is more, of which developing
countries might very well consider worth using as a role-model when confronting
their own pollution and environmental protection issues.
6.2.7 How Much Does It Cost to Prevent or Recover
from the Damage? (Economic Framing)
The third way of framing applies an economic viewpoint to Minamata disease. A
study was done by a researcher group formed within the Japanese Environmental
Agency, Japan (Study Group on Global Environment and Economy, 1991), in which
the (estimated?) costs of preventing or recovering from the damage of Minamata
disease were compared. The results indicated that the Costs of pollution control and
the costs of prevention were significantly less than the costs of compensation for the
caused damages and restoration of the polluted environment (see Table 6.1).
M. Onuki
6.2.6 Why Did Environmental Governance and Pollution
Control Technologies Fail? (Techno-Legislative
FRAMING)
The second way of framing the problems of Minamata disease is how environmental governance and pollution control technologies worked. In reality, no environmental governance or regulation was in place when Minamata disease was first
officially acknowledged in 1956. After many years, people finally realized the huge
sacrifice – health damage to the victims and the social discrimination they were
forced to endure – and public opinion supporting victims finally formed. Once this
public opinion formed, the national government established environmental administration systems including enforcement of The Basic Law for Environmental
Pollution Control in 1967 and other related environmental laws such as the Water
Pollution Control Law and the Air Pollution Control Law in the following years,
and foundation of Environmental Agency (predecessor of present-day Japanese
Ministry of Environment) (1971). Moreover, enterprises also started following the
new regulations designed to protect the environment or face consequences.
Industry and enterprises also started developing technologies to minimize pollution which led to rapidly and dramatically improved environmental quality. The
technology and social system established in this way still functions well, achievements of which the Japanese can be proud; and what is more, of which developing
countries might very well consider worth using as a role-model when confronting
their own pollution and environmental protection issues.
6.2.7 How Much Does It Cost to Prevent or Recover
from the Damage? (Economic Framing)
The third way of framing applies an economic viewpoint to Minamata disease. A
study was done by a researcher group formed within the Japanese Environmental
Agency, Japan (Study Group on Global Environment and Economy, 1991), in which
the (estimated?) costs of preventing or recovering from the damage of Minamata
disease were compared. The results indicated that the Costs of pollution control and
the costs of prevention were significantly less than the costs of compensation for the
caused damages and restoration of the polluted environment (see Table 6.1).
M. Onuki