Gov’t urged in court to resolve forced sterilization issue soon

March 28, 2018

Sendai, Miyagi Pref.- A woman in her 60s in Miyagi Prefecture demanded in court Wednesday that the Japanese government act swiftly to resolve the issue of forced sterilization operations for people including herself under the now-defunct 1948 eugenic protection law.

The demand was made during the first session of oral proceedings at Sendai District Court on the lawsuit filed by the woman seeking the government's apology and payment of 11 million yen in damages for failing to take relief steps for the forced sterilization victims.

At the trial hearing, the plaintiff's side also expressed hopes for government efforts to resolve the issue promptly as the victims are aging.

The government side asked the court to dismiss the complaint against it.

According to the complaint, the woman was forced to undergo the operation when she was 15 years old and deprived of opportunities for marriage and having children. As result, her personal dignity and right to self-determination, both guaranteed by the Constitution, were violated.

The government should be held responsible for not taking legal measures to help the victims, such as setting up a compensation system, it argues.

During the court session, Koji Niisato, chief attorney for the woman, underscored the significance of the lawsuit, saying that although the victims and support groups have requested redress for over 20 years, administrative and political moves to help the forced sterilization victims have emerged since the case was filed.

He particularly referred to the health ministry's decision to conduct a nationwide survey on the victims and the formation of a suprapartisan group of lawmakers to discuss measures to support them.

"We will present our opinions firmly through the trial," the woman's sister-in-law told a press conference after the hearing at the court in Sendai, the capital of the northeastern Japan prefecture.

Some 160 people lined up at the court to obtain tickets for the 74 seats available to the public to listen to the oral arguments.

The sister-in-law added that public support and interest in the case are helpful for restoring human rights of not only the forced sterilization victims but also all people with disabilities.

Another woman in her 70s is planning to file a similar lawsuit with the Sendai court and three more people are expected to follow suit in Tokyo and Sapporo. Jiji Press