Activities of NIMD
Community wellness support
As a part of our efforts to support the welfare of the community, we conducted a long-term preventive care program for the elderly in Minamata City and its surrounding areas from 2006 to 2012. From 2013, we aimed to make this long-term prevention care program take root in the local community as a place for “building communities and friendships.”
Cooperation with the Council of Social Welfare
Handicraft classes are held in support of the “Community Living” program organized by the Minamata City Council of Social Welfare. Handicraft and fun exercise classes are held in support of the “Fureai Iki-iki Salon,“ organized by the Izumi City Council of Social Welfare. Handicraft classes are held with the support of the “Itte-miyu-kai” held by the Tsunaki Town Council of Social Welfare.
Handicraft classes (fun brain training by making things)
Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a condition that lies between normal cognition and dementia. Although it does not interfere with daily life, it can progress to dementia within a few years if left untreated.
Appropriate prevention and treatment during the MCI stage can slow the decline in cognitive function and restore it to normal levels.
It is well known that the prefrontal cortex (PFC) plays an important role in cognitive function.
The National Institute for Minamata Disease (NIMD) measured the changes in brain blood flow during production using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS)*, and found that the PFC is activated by production .
- Brain response to creating things
- Brain response when not creating things
Results of validation using NIRS (a method of assessing brain activity using near-infrared light).
Therefore, we are holding craft classes as “fun brain training by making things” and conducting preventive care work as welfare support for the elderly in Minamata disease-affected areas. Attending handicraft classes and making things together with many people can help prevent dementia.
Handicraft scene
Handicraft scene
Examples of works
Fun exercise classes
Izumi City offers fun and healthy exercise classes to maintain physical fitness and cognitive function. Exercises are performed using equipments such as balls and rings. Along with maintaining physical fitness, it is useful for maintaining cognitive function.
Questionnaires
We request all the participants to complete a survey so that we can continue to provide better community living activities in the future. Please refer to the results of the previous year's survey.
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Minamata City Participating districts 23 districts Number of participants 631 participants Average age 79.6 years of age Gender 109 males (18％) 485 females (82％) Attending for the first-time 67 participants Participating from 2023 
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Izumi City Participating districts 8 districts Number of participants 136 participants Average age 78.6 years of age Gender 33 males (24％) 103 females (76％) Attending for the first-time 14 participants Participating from 2023 
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Tsunagi Town Participating districts 16 districts Number of participants 208 participants Average age 78.5 years of age Gender 41 males (20％) 167 females (80％) Attending for the first-time 90 participants Participating from 2023 
Please feel free to contact us if you are interested in attending as an individual or as a group.
Tabata; Itatani; Yamashita
Comprehensive Medicine Section, Department of Clinical Medicine
TEL: +81-966-63-3111
Minamata Health Expectancy Extension Project
The NIMD, in cooperation with the Minamata City Council of Social Welfare, has planned the “Minamata Health Expectancy Extension Project.”
It has been reported that four out of ten people who are frailty*2 at the age of 65 will die after 7 years. Frailty can be prevented or reversed. To ensure that older people can continue to do “what they want to do” in 5–10 years, we have been planning a frailty prevention project since FY2023. Once a month for 1 year, an exercise class will be held by a professional trainer (homework muscle training is provided at that time), and its effectiveness will be evaluated by comparing physical fitness measured before and after the exercise class.
If you are 65 years or older, live in Minamata City, and would like to participate, please contact the Minamata City Council of Social Welfare.
*1 Health expectancy: the period before a person requires nursing care; *2 Frailty: a state of mental and physical fatigue and weakness caused by aging
Renovation of a community center (Minamata City)
Prior to this, the Minamata City Council of Social Welfare implemented the following projects on behalf of NIMD:
*No renovation projects are currently underway.
Providing all the necessities for a comfortable stay
Stickers were attached to the items provided by the NIMD.
