William A crime almost as heinous as Chisso Corp. releasing methylmercury into Minamata bay is the glacial pace at which the government proceeds with lawsuits. Kumanichi takes up the case of Mr. Hideki Sato (67), plaintiff leader, who suffered from methylmercury poisoning during fetal development and childhood. The group filed its appeal In October, 2015 - finally rejected yesterday - after their original suit was defeated in 2013, with the Fukuoka High Court ruling that the plaintiff’s symptoms, which include leg cramps, dizziness, tinnitus, and difficulty in holding objects, were likely due to other illnesses. Mr. Sato noted that, even though the dangers of eating local fish and shellfish were vaguely known since 1957, poverty demanded that Minamata residents nonetheless continue to consume them.