Still,why was Shozo Tanaka so obesessed with the Ashio Copper Mine's poisoning problem? In fact,there were other mines that were producing mineral poison. The Besshi Copper Mine in Shikoku,which laid the foundation for Sumitomo,was one such example. During the copper mining and smelting process,sulfurous acid gas killed mountain trees and caused extensive damage to crops,leading to riots by the peasants. However, Shozo Tanaka did not address this matter in the Imperial Diet.
On the contrary, he spoke highly of the management of the Besshi Copper Mine.
