今日の英語ニュース

今日も日本のニュースを英語で読んでいきましょう。

The place of origin of Minamata disease, Hyakken drainage. Outlet Installation of a new gutter gate Changed from the removal policy.

On the 11th, Chisso, the company responsible for Minamata disease, installed four new gutter gates at the Hyakken drain (Minamata City, Kumamoto Prefecture), which used to drip organic mercury. 

The gutter gate has been replaced every time it has aged. In the past, it played a role in preventing the backflow of seawater, but it lost its function when a nearby pumping station was built in 2003. The gutter gate, which was installed in 1999, was corroded inside, so the city decided to remove it in 23, but patient groups objected, saying, “It should be left as a symbol of the origin of Minamata disease.” Last year, the prefectural government, which acts as an intermediary, decided to install a new gutter gate. 　The new gutter gate is about 3 meters high, 2.4 meters wide, and weighs 650 kilograms. It is made of wood and made of cypress from the prefecture. Since the preservative injection method was adopted, it was no longer necessary to process FRP (fiber-reinforced plastic), which was initially considered. 　Koichiro Matsunaga, a 61-year-old fetal patient who has been working to preserve the site, said, “It is important to preserve the scenery of that time, and I would like to aim for the designation of it as a cultural property.” 　A ceremony to commemorate the installation will be held at the site on the 20th. Of the four gutter gates that have been removed, one has been taken over by the city’s Minamata Disease Center Sositsha and is on display outside. Three were disposed of. The project cost, including disposal costs, is 12 million yen. 

Reference from Imamura Kenji, Asahi Newspaper

それではまた！