Japan court awards damages to victims of forced sterilisation for first time
GuardianMAR 28 2022
Slowly but surely, justice is being served for the victims of Japan's eugenics program. This shameful chapter in the nation's history is being taken seriously by those in power, as recent statements and court rulings have shown. This is but one small step in helping the victims recover from what they have been put through, and we can only hope accountability, contrition, and compensation can provide some comfort to those who have suffered.
The ugly history of sterilization in Japan is far from over, as discriminatory laws are still forcing marginalized people to undergo this dehumanizing procedure. Transgender people in Japan are still subject to forced sterilization if they wish to have their gender changed on official documents, which indicates that Japan has still not reckoned with the past injustices they have inflicted on vulnerable populations.