<P> Japanese photographer Takeshi Ishikawa, who assisted Smith in Minamata, has since exhibited his own photographs documenting the disease . His photographs cover the years 1971 to the present, with Minamata victims as his subjects . </P> <P> The prominent Japanese documentary filmmaker Noriaki Tsuchimoto made a series of films, starting with Minamata: The Victims and Their World (1971) and including The Shiranui Sea (1975), documenting the incident and siding with the victims in their struggle against Chisso and the government . </P> <P> Minamata disease remains an important issue in contemporary Japanese society . Lawsuits against Chisso and the prefectural and national governments are still continuing and many regard the government responses to date as inadequate . The company's "historical overview" in its current website makes no mention of their role in the mass contamination of Minamata and the dreadful aftermath . Their 2004 Annual Report however reports an equivalent of about US $50 million (5,820 million yen) in "Minamata Disease Compensation Liabilities". From 2000 to 2003, the company also reported total compensation liabilities of over US $170 million . Their 2000 accounts also show that the Japanese and Kumamoto prefectural governments waived an enormous US $560 million in related liabilities . Their FY2004 and FY2005 reports refer to Minamata disease as "mad hatter's disease", a term coined from the mercury poisoning experienced by hat - makers of the last few centuries (cf . Erethism). </P> <P> A memorial service was held at the Minamata Disease Municipal Museum on 1 May 2006 to mark 50 years since the official discovery of the disease . Despite bad weather, the service was attended by over 600 people, including Chisso chairman Shunkichi Goto and Environment Minister Yuriko Koike . </P>

Minamata disease methylmercury poisoning in japan caused by environmental pollution