An appeals court in Osaka has ordered the government to pay financial compensation to five people who complained that they were forced to undergo sterilization under Japan's now-defunct Eugenic Protection Law.
The Osaka High Court on Thursday ordered the government to pay 16.5 million yen, or about 127,000 dollars, in compensation each to a woman and two married couples, who all live in Hyogo Prefecture.
The woman was born with cerebral palsy, and the married couples have impaired hearing. They sued the government, saying they were forced to undergo sterilization over 50 years ago under the law on grounds of disabilities they had, and as a result were derived of their reproductive rights.
A district court in Hyogo in 2021 ruled the law unconstitutional. But the court rejected the plaintiffs' claims for compensation, saying they lost their legal standing to seek damages more than 20 years after their forced sterilization. The plaintiffs appealed.
Thursday's ruling noted that the statute of limitations should not be applied in the case, as it involves significant violations of the principles of justice and fairness.
Similar lawsuits have been filed across Japan in recent years. In February 2022, the Osaka High Court in a separate case handed down a landmark ruling to order the government to compensate plaintiffs.
It has become the 7th case since then in which the government has been ordered to pay compensation.
The Osaka High Court on Thursday ordered the government to pay 16.5 million yen, or about 127,000 dollars, in compensation each to a woman and two married couples, who all live in Hyogo Prefecture.
The woman was born with cerebral palsy, and the married couples have impaired hearing. They sued the government, saying they were forced to undergo sterilization over 50 years ago under the law on grounds of disabilities they had, and as a result were derived of their reproductive rights.
A district court in Hyogo in 2021 ruled the law unconstitutional. But the court rejected the plaintiffs' claims for compensation, saying they lost their legal standing to seek damages more than 20 years after their forced sterilization. The plaintiffs appealed.
Thursday's ruling noted that the statute of limitations should not be applied in the case, as it involves significant violations of the principles of justice and fairness.
Similar lawsuits have been filed across Japan in recent years. In February 2022, the Osaka High Court in a separate case handed down a landmark ruling to order the government to compensate plaintiffs.
It has become the 7th case since then in which the government has been ordered to pay compensation.
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Summary
Osaka High Court orders Japanese government to compensate five forced sterilization victims for approximately $127,000 each. The individuals, affected by disabilities, were sterilized under the now-defunct Eugenic Protection Law over 50 years ago. The government was previously found liable but
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ID: 95cb39fa-c394-40ae-a6bd-26e387eeff06
Category ID: nhk
URL: https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20230323_27/
Date: March 23, 2023
Created: 2023/03/24 07:56
Updated: 2025/12/09 05:52
Last Read: 2023/03/24 08:06