1st Plaintiff, Sumiko Nishi, Reaches Settlement in Forced Sterilization Lawsuits in Japan

By Barrier Free Japan, Jiji & NHK World

July 31 2024

TOKYO – A plaintiff in a damages lawsuit over forced sterilizations conducted under Japan’s now-defunct eugenic protection law reached a settlement Wednesday with the government, the first such resolution among similar lawsuits filed across the country. 

The settlement, which is the first among such court cases, was reached on Wednesday at the Tokyo District Court.

The settlement in the suit filed by Sumiko Nishi, 77, of Hino, Tokyo, whom has cerebral palsy, was finalized in Tokyo District Court. She filed a lawsuit against the state saying she was forced to undergo sterilization surgery with no explanation at the age of around 14. She filed a lawsuit against the government in September 2022 for damages of 30 million yen, citing severe mental anguish from the surgery.

Nishi’s legal team says the government agreed to pay more than 16 million yen, or about 106,000 dollars, for the compensation, legal fees and other costs.

The move came after the Japanese Supreme Court’s Grand Bench in early July found the law unconstitutional and acknowledged the government’s liability. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has apologized to victims of forced sterilizations and said he will aim to reach settlements in pending suits.