Between 1948 and 1996, about 16,500 people were operated on without their consent under a eugenics law, triggering a long campaign for redress, the Guardian reported.
Campaigners in Japan are expressing outrage following the release of a government report that exposes the forced sterilization of children, including those as young as nine, under a now-defunct eugenics law. The 1,400-page report, presented to parliament this week, discloses that approximately 16,500 individuals were subjected to non-consensual sterilization procedures between 1948 and 1996. The law, which was not repealed until the 1990s, aimed to prevent the birth of what is considered "poor-quality descendants" and protect the health of the mother. Most of the victims were women.
The report also highlights that nearly 8,000 individuals consented to sterilization, likely under pressure, while close to 60,000 women underwent abortions due to hereditary illnesses. Shockingly, two of the victims were only nine years old at the time of the forced sterilization—a boy and a girl.
The victims of this sterilization program have been engaged in a long-standing campaign for justice, shedding light on the mistreatment of people with disabilities and chronic conditions in post-World War II Japan. In 2019, legislation was passed to provide government compensation of $22,800 to each victim. However, campaigners argue that this amount fails to adequately reflect the immense suffering endured by the victims. Despite an application deadline of April 2024, media reports indicate that only 1,049 victims have received compensation thus far.
The victims have been seeking financial restitution and acknowledgment of the physical and mental anguish they endured. While some courts have awarded damages to a few victims, others have sided with the government, citing the expiration of the 20-year statute of limitations. Lawyers representing the victims argue that the individuals only became aware of the nature of their surgeries long after the legal deadline for seeking redress had passed.
In comparison to Japan, Germany, and Sweden, which had similar measures in place, have apologized to victims and provided compensation. The laws in both countries were repealed decades earlier than Japan's.
Earlier this month, a high court rejected compensation claims from two women, including 77-year-old Junko Iizuka, who was subjected to a mysterious operation at the age of 16, preventing her from having children. Iizuka, who conceals her identity in public, shared the profound impact the procedure had on her life, stating that it shattered her dreams of marriage and children, leading to mental illness and the breakdown of her relationships.
“As soon as I told my husband, whom I trusted, that I had had surgery and was unable to have children, he left me and demanded a divorce. I became mentally ill and was unable to work. I have been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. Eugenics surgery turned my life upside down,” Iizuka shared.
Following the report's release, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno expressed the government's remorse, stating that they "sincerely reflect on and deeply apologize" for the immense pain inflicted on the victims through forced sterilization.
The report underlines that sterilization under the eugenics law, which targeted individuals with intellectual disabilities, mental illness, or hereditary disorders to prevent the birth of "inferior" children, was a requirement for admission to certain welfare facilities or marriage.
While the report has been commended for fully exposing the horrors of forced sterilization, Koji Niisato, a lawyer representing the victims, pointed out that it failed to address crucial questions regarding the creation of the law, the delayed amendment process spanning 48 years, and the lack of compensation for the victims.
“The report did not reveal why the law was created, why it took 48 years to amend it, or why the victims were never compensated,” Niisato voiced.
Iizuka, determined to pursue justice, intends to appeal the ruling in her compensation case. More than six decades after her non-consensual sterilization, she continues to suffer from trauma. She emphasized the urgency of uncovering and addressing the harm inflicted on the victims, as many are growing older, and some have already passed away.
“I and the other victims are getting old, and some have died. I’m sick and often have to go to hospital. But we must not allow the harm that was inflicted on us to remain hidden in the darkness,” she stated.
The revelations in the report have reignited public outrage and intensified demands for comprehensive justice and reparations for the victims of Japan's dark chapter of forced sterilizations.
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