Japanese premier issues apology to compelled sterilization victims
Date
7/18/2024 4:55:59 AM
(MENAFN) Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has formally apologized to over 100 individuals who were subjected to forced sterilizations under Japan's eugenics program, which spanned several decades. In his address, Kishida committed to compensating all surviving victims of this policy.
During a meeting at his office in Tokyo on Wednesday, Kishida interacted with approximately 130 people, including 19 plaintiffs involved in ongoing lawsuits against the government. This gathering took place just two weeks after Japan’s Supreme Court mandated the state to compensate the victims of the eugenics program, declaring it unconstitutional.
Kishida acknowledged the severity of the government’s responsibility in this matter. “The government’s responsibility is extremely large,” he stated at the meeting. “I offer my apologies from the bottom of my heart. We will decide as soon as possible on a new framework for compensation.”
The Eugenic Protection Law, enacted in 1948, was originally intended to curb the post-war baby boom and prevent the birth of what was termed “inferior offspring.” The law remained in force until its abolition in 1996. During this period, approximately 25,000 people with disabilities were sterilized, with over 16,000 undergoing the procedure without their consent, as reported by a parliamentary inquiry.
Since 2019, the Japanese government has been offering a lump sum of YIN3.2 million (approximately USD20,280) to individuals sterilized under the program, provided they requested compensation within 20 years of the surgery. To date, more than 800 women and 300 men have received these payments. However, critics and the Supreme Court have argued that this amount is insufficient and that the 20-year statute of limitations excludes the majority of the program’s victims.
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