During this period, the major part of these measures was restrictions of speech and of the press, such as banning the publication immediately after issuance of a record of the mining pollution "Ashio Dozan Kodoku, Watarase-gawa-engan Jijo" (Ashio copper mine Mining Pollution, Status of Watarase-gawa River) published in 1891 by the residents of Azuma Village (Tochigi Prefecture).
この時代は、1891年刊行の吾妻村(栃木県)民らによる鉱毒の記録集『足尾銅山鉱毒・渡良瀬川沿岸事情』を発刊直後に発売禁止にするなど、言論封殺が主な対策であった。