The Japanese government started paying compensation to victims of forced sterilisations carried out under a now-defunct law.
The eugenics protection legislation lasted from 1946 to 1996 and was widely condemned as one of the most severe human rights violations in post-war Japan. The government’s compensation initiative aims to help those who have not yet gone to court to seek redress for reparations caused by the law, according to Japanese media.
The government will pay 15 million yen (approximately $96,700) to victims, with spouses receiving 5 million yen. Those who underwent abortion surgery could expect a one-time compensation of 2 million yen.
Last year, Japan’s Supreme Court declared the Eugenic Protection Law, passed in an attempt to “improve” the nation’s genetic pool, unconstitutional and ordered the state to remedy the situation. However, a considerable number of victims failed to seek compensation for fear of social stigma or because they were unaware that they had undergone sterilisation procedures.
Since 2018, only 39 people have filed claims for compensation. However, victims and their families will have until 2030 to receive payment. If the victim dies by then, the payment will go to their surviving children, grandchildren or siblings.
The law allowed sterilisation or abortion of people with intellectual disabilities, mental illness or hereditary diseases. Official records revealed that about 25,000 people were sterilised, with over 16,000 of the procedures performed without consent.
The new compensation law is an attempt to right the wrongs of the past by offering a remedy for those who have been affected by the controversial legislation.
