Japanese prefectural authorities start accepting compensation applications on Friday from people who were forced to undergo sterilization surgery under the now-defunct Eugenic Protection Law.

The law allowed sterilization and abortion procedures to be performed on people with mental or intellectual disabilities or other conditions. It was in effect for 48 years until it was scrapped in 1996.

The Supreme Court ruled last July that the law's provisions on eugenic surgery were unconstitutional.

The Diet passed a bill in October entitling victims, their spouses or their bereaved relatives to compensation. The legislation allows for 15 million yen, or about 96,500 dollars, to be paid to forcibly sterilized people, 5 million yen to their spouses, and 2 million yen to women who were forced to have an abortion.

The Children and Families Agency estimates that the payout will amount to more than 470 billion yen in total.

It says roughly 25,000 people are eligible for compensation as victims of forced sterilization or their bereaved relatives, around 7,600 qualify as victims' spouses or their bereaved relatives, and some 15,000 are due recompense as victims of forced abortions.

The agency is asking prefectural authorities to notify eligible individuals of the compensation program. Those eligible will be able to receive support from lawyers in filing applications.