In the Mizushima area, pollution occurred in the 1960s due to air pollution from the complex, leading to lawsuits between certified pollution patients and the complex companies.
As a result, a settlement was reached in 1996, which included a clause stating that "a portion of the settlement money could be used for environmental restoration."
In March 2003, the Mizushima Regional Environmental Restoration Foundation (commonly known as the Mizushima Foundation) was established, and as of 2023, it has become a base for environmental restoration and community development in the Mizushima area.
We spoke with Mr. Shiowaku Toshifumi and Ms. Fujiwara Sonoko about the activities and thoughts of the Mizushima Foundation.
Current Activities of the Mizushima Foundation
The Mizushima Foundation collaborates with various stakeholders, including local people, businesses, and government, to create a better regional environment through community development in Mizushima.
As a foundation, it is also conducting research and studies on the environment to investigate what is necessary for environmental restoration, thereby increasing the number of partners working to improve the community.
The Mizushima Foundation conducts the following surveys:
- Hakken River Survey
- Survey on marine debris issues
- Survey on CO2 absorption by trees
- Survey on measures against global warming
These surveys are just examples, and there are other environmental surveys being conducted as well.
Additionally, activities in the field of environmental health are also being carried out.
In particular, they are promoting awareness of respiratory rehabilitation, which is handled by Ms. Fujiwara at the Mizushima Foundation.
While there are experts in respiratory diseases and rehabilitation in the community, there are not many systems in place to connect them with local people.
The foundation plays a role in connecting local people with experts not only in the environmental field but also in the health field.
Furthermore, they are also engaged in activities to accept and promote the Mizushima Stay-type Environmental Learning Consortium, which offers experiential and participatory environmental learning programs, and the activities of the Mizushima Foundation are diverse.
Establishment of the Mizushima Foundation
The Mizushima Foundation was established with a portion of the settlement money from the lawsuits related to pollution in the Mizushima area that continued from 1983 to 1996.
The condition that "a portion of the settlement money could be used for environmental restoration" is said to have facilitated the settlement between the plaintiffs, who were certified pollution patients, and the defendant companies.
Mr. Fujiwara shared this information.
The Mizushima Foundation is an organization entrusted with the hopes of pollution patients who want to make Mizushima a better environmental town and leave a good environment for their children and grandchildren.
During the preparatory phase for the establishment of the Mizushima Foundation, there was an intention to name it the "Mizushima Community Development Foundation," Mr. Fujiwara mentioned.
However, it was decided to use the current name, the Mizushima Regional Environmental Restoration Foundation, with the hope that the Mizushima area would recover from pollution.
The commitment to the organization name is also reflected in its English name.
The English translation of the Mizushima Foundation's name is The Foundation for Environmental Rehabilitation and Redevelopment of Mizushima.
This can be translated as "The Foundation for Environmental Restoration and Redevelopment of Mizushima."
There are many words that mean restoration, but the first chairman of the Mizushima Foundation expressed a desire to use the word "Rehabilitation" for the translation of restoration, which led to the current English translation.
The Future of Mizushima Depicted in "Revive Mizushima Town"
In 1995, a future vision of Mizushima called "Revive Mizushima Town" was created by patients.
The future vision depicted a Mizushima with a complex.
It is clear that the patients did not want to eliminate the complex from Mizushima, but rather envisioned a future where the complex and people coexist while protecting a good environment.
When "Revive Mizushima Town" was shown to someone who used to work at the complex, they first remarked, "The complex is still there, huh."
As of 2023, companies and government are working together to protect the environment in Mizushima.
The Kurashiki City Environmental Monitoring Center, located in the Kurashiki City Environmental Exchange Square (nicknamed: Mizushima Ai Ai Salon), has established a 24-hour environmental monitoring system using telemetry, ready to report any changes immediately.
Companies, government, and local people are collaborating to build a monitoring system aimed at the recovery and maintenance of the environment in the Mizushima area.
Mizushima Foundation and SDGs
When the Mizushima Foundation was established, the pollution lawsuits had ended, and the societal focus had shifted to new environmental issues such as global warming.
The map of "Revive Mizushima Town" was created in 1995, but upon revisiting it, it became clear that what the patients envisioned aligns with the SDGs.
With the establishment of the SDGs, the ideas that the patients had are now theoretically reinforced, Mr. Shiowaku shares.
Additionally, as an organization that has been active even before the term SDGs was coined, the current societal interest in environmental issues is very encouraging, says Ms. Fujiwara.
Elementary and middle schools are now learning about the SDGs, and some schools come to Mizushima as a field of study.
The Mizushima Stay-type Environmental Learning Consortium, for which the Mizushima Foundation serves as the secretariat, accepted 540 participants from 11 organizations for environmental learning in 2022.
By learning about Mizushima, it leads to thinking about one's own town and what they want to learn.
While some may feel "I don't really understand the SDGs," they expressed a desire to learn together.
The SDGs principle of "leaving no one behind" can be challenging to realize.
However, in Mizushima, there is a history of practicing "leaving no one behind" by cooperating in the community during the time of suffering from respiratory diseases caused by air pollution.
Rather than viewing things from a single perspective, it has become a place where various positions can discuss and reflect on the town's history and share ideas.
The "Mizushima Memories" published by the Mizushima Foundation and the "Mizushima Materials Exchange Center Asagao Gallery," which opened in October 2022, have become important for people to interact, they shared.
The Future of the Mizushima Foundation
Regarding the future of the Mizushima Foundation, Mr. Shiowaku and Ms. Fujiwara expressed a desire for the organization to be a hub for partnerships, continuing to increase its number of allies.
The SDGs are goals set for 2030, but they view them not as an end goal but as a milestone towards creating a sustainable society.
The pillar of achieving the wishes of pollution patients will not change for the Mizushima Foundation.
"The more you study environmental and social issues, the more confusing they become, and the more you know, the more you might despair about society, but I hope you do not lose hope," says Ms. Fujiwara.
While it may be difficult to solve all the problems in the world we live in, starting with actions that one can take in their immediate surroundings may lead to societal change.
There are limits to what the Mizushima Foundation can do alone, but Mr. Shiowaku believes that as they increase their interactions with various people, they can move in a better direction.
Conclusion
The Mizushima Foundation was born from the history of pollution in the Mizushima area.
Overcoming a difficult history has led to the present Mizushima.
The Mizushima Foundation is working with various stakeholders, including local people and businesses, to make the town of Mizushima a more livable place and to improve society.
Considering environmental and social issues may be challenging, but there should be changes possible when cooperating with others.
I hope that more people will learn about the Mizushima Foundation and become allies, using it as a trigger to think about their immediate environment and take action.
Public Interest Incorporated Foundation Mizushima Regional Environmental Restoration Foundation (Mizushima Foundation) Data
| Organization Name | Public Interest Incorporated Foundation Mizushima Regional Environmental Restoration Foundation (Mizushima Foundation) |
|---|---|
| Industry | Public Interest Incorporated Foundation |
| Representative Name | Chairman Ishida Masaya |
| Year Established | March 14, 2000 |
| Address | 11-12 Tōei-cho, Mizushima, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Contact | 086-440-0121 |
| Homepage | Mizushima Foundation - Public Interest Incorporated Foundation Mizushima Regional Environmental Restoration Foundation |
