In a landmark move, the Japanese government has begun the process of compensating victims of forced sterilisation surgery carried out under the now-defunct eugenics protection law. The law, which remained in effect from 1946 until 1996, has been widely condemned as one of the gravest human rights violations in postwar Japan. This compensation initiative aims to assist those who have yet to seek legal action, offering redress for the trauma caused by this dark chapter in the country's history, as reported by Kyodo News.

The Japanese government will provide victims with a compensation sum of JPY15mn (approximately $96,700), while victims' spouses will receive JPY5mn. Those who underwent abortion surgeries as part of the law's provisions will be compensated with a lump sum of JPY2mn. The initiative follows the enactment of a new law in October 2024, which came after a pivotal Supreme Court ruling that declared the eugenics protection law unconstitutional and ordered the state to make amends.

A significant number of victims, however, have not been able to come forward due to fear of social stigma or because they were unaware that they had been subjected to sterilisation procedures. Since 2018, 39 individuals have filed lawsuits to seek damages, but many others remain silent. Under the new law, compensation will be available to victims and their families until 2030. If the victim is deceased, the payment will be directed to their surviving children, grandchildren, or siblings.

The eugenics protection law, which was enacted in a bid to "improve" the nation's genetic pool, allowed for the sterilisation or abortion of people with intellectual disabilities, mental illnesses, or hereditary disorders, often without their consent. Official records show that around 25,000 people were sterilised, with over 16,000 of these procedures carried out without consent. Approximately 59,000 abortion surgeries were performed under the law, leaving a lasting impact on the lives of many Japanese citizens.

The new compensation law is an effort to right the wrongs of the past, offering a remedy for those who suffered under a law that has long been condemned for its discriminatory and inhumane practices. It is also a reminder of Japan's ongoing reckoning with its past.