The Administration Division is a department responsible for internal administration and operation duties at the National Institute for Minamata Disease. Its principal duties include: ① personnel and organizational management and public relations activities for the National Institute for Minamata Disease; ② budget formulation and execution management and financial closing; ③ project development and implementation with respect to various events and conferences and; ④ contact point for inquiries about mercury in relation to Minamata disease.

The Department of International Affairs and Research engages in advancing an understanding of Minamata disease and disseminating information on it mainly by means of the Minamata Disease Archives and conducts research with respect to the solution of social issues involving Minamata disease and to local community vitalization, and also works on promoting international cooperation and research through its research of highly accurate mercury analysis technologies and accuracy management for mercury analysis methods.

International Information Section

The International Information Section is responsible for advancing an understanding of Minamata disease, communicating lessons learned from Minamata disease, disseminating research outcomes, and operating and maintaining the Archives.

Mercury Analysis Technique Section

The Mercury Analysis Technique Section works on the research of mercury analysis with higher accuracy and management of mercury analysis accuracy.

"Health impacts of methylmercury" and "contribution to the better wellness of the community" are focus areas of the Department of Clinical Medicine. Specifically, its ongoing research projects relate to impact evaluations and treatments of methylmercury exposure on human health, as measured by magnetoencephalography and MRI, and methylmercury exposure in geographical areas where whale is consumed to a substantial extent. The Department also provides Minamata disease patients with rehabilitation care twice a week and offers information on rehabilitation techniques and nursing care techniques on its website and through workshops. Further, it takes part in efforts to enhance nursing-care prevention programs for the local community to have more in-depth collaboration with the local community. Other activities include fundamental research on health impacts of methylmercury and associated pathological conditions and treatments.

Comprehensive Medicine Section

The Comprehensive Medicine Section engages in clinical medicine surveys and research related to Minamata disease and also provides diagnostic services required in that realm.

Working in its target areas, namely, "evaluations of health impacts of methylmercury and application to treatments," "environmental fate of methylmercury," "contribution to the better wellness of the community" and "international contributions," the Department of Basic Medical Sciences currently engages in research on the pathological mechanism of methylmercury poisoning and methylmercury risk evaluations, and also on mercury in the natural environment.
It is also active in providing information obtained by analyzing mercury in hair samples supplied from sources in and outside of Japan and disseminating information using pathological samples related to Minamata disease and in outreach efforts for science and technology research.

Toxicologic Pathology Section

The Toxicologic Pathology Section performs research on toxicologic pathology of methylmercury poisoning.

Hygienic Chemistry Section

The Hygienic Chemistry Section engages in research relating to hygienic chemistry of methylmercury poisoning.

The major focus of the Department of Environment and Public Health is in research relating to the fate of mercury in the environment (atmosphere, water, soil and living organisms) and environmental health research related to impacts of methylmercury exposure on human health.

Ecology Section

The Ecology Section conducts natural science surveys and research on Minamata disease from an ecological perspective.

Environmental Health Section

The Environmental Health Section collects and organizes information required for epidemiological surveys and research on Minamata disease and for medical surveys and research related to Minamata disease.