In 1955, a major food poisoning incident occurred in Japan when arsenic-contaminated powdered milk produced by the Morinaga Milk-Industry Company caused the illness of over 12,000 infants and the deaths of 131. The contamination was traced to the manufacturing process, where arsenic was inadvertently introduced. The incident was one of the worst food safety disasters in Japanese history and led to stricter regulations.

The Morinaga milk poisoning was a national tragedy in Japan, and it was the subject of extensive media coverage and literary works. Poets and writers documented the human cost of the disaster and the failure of corporate responsibility. The incident also influenced the development of consumer protection movements in Japan and inspired a body of literature on food safety and corporate accountability.