. ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 3 , ▁the ▁town ▁had ▁an ▁estimated ▁population ▁of ▁ 2 , 7 5 3 ▁and ▁a ▁population ▁density ▁of ▁ 1 0 . 6 8 ▁per ▁km ². ▁The ▁total ▁area ▁was ▁ 2 5 7 . 6 9 ▁km ². ▁ ▁On ▁April ▁ 1 , ▁ 2 0 0 5 , ▁Kan ose , ▁along ▁with ▁the ▁town ▁of ▁Ts ug awa , ▁and ▁the ▁villages ▁of ▁Kam ik awa ▁and ▁Mik awa ▁( all ▁from ▁H ig ash ikan bara ▁District ) ▁were ▁merged ▁to ▁create ▁the ▁town ▁of ▁A ga . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 4 , ▁a ▁chemical ▁factory ▁in ▁the ▁village ▁released ▁m eth yl mer cur y ▁into ▁the ▁Ag ano ▁River ▁and ▁caused ▁Ni ig ata ▁Min am ata ▁disease . ▁ ▁Category : D iss ol ved ▁municipal ities ▁of ▁Ni ig ata ▁Pref ect ure ▁Category : A ga , ▁Ni ig ata <0x0A> </s> ▁Sh ink a ile pas ▁ka ik at ensis ▁is ▁a ▁species ▁of ▁sea ▁sn ail , ▁a ▁false ▁lim pet , ▁a ▁marine ▁g ast rop od ▁m oll usk ▁in ▁the ▁family ▁Ph en ac ole pad idae . ▁ ▁It ▁was ▁first ▁described ▁by ▁Ok ut ani , ▁S ait o ▁and ▁Hash im oto ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 9 . ▁ ▁Description ▁The ▁individuals ▁in ▁the ▁NO AA ▁image ▁are ▁adult s ▁of ▁ 2   cm ▁( 0 . 7 5  