After Lawsuit Settlement, Forced Sterilization Victim Keiko Onoue says: “I kept silent for about 50 years because there were no people to discuss it with”

By Barrier Free Japan

November 17 2024

NAGOYA – A settlement was reached on Friday 15th November at the Nagoya High Court in central Japan in a damages lawsuit over forced sterilization under the now-defunct eugenic protection law. After the settlement was reached, the plaintiff, Keiko Onoue (74) spoke about how she “kept silent for 50 years” as there was no one with whom she could “discuss” it.

A settlement was reached Friday at Nagoya High Court in central Japan in a damages lawsuit over forced sterilization under the now-defunct eugenic protection law, ending a series of similar lawsuits in the country, according to the defense lawyers. The Nagoya lawsuit was filed by Keiko Onoue, 74, and her husband, Kazutaka, 77, against the Japanese government. The settlement terms are based on an agreement reached between the two sides in September. In the settlement, the government acknowledged its grave responsibility for enforcing the law, and expressed remorse and an apology to the plaintiffs. It agreed to pay 13 million yen to Keiko and 2 million yen to Kazutaka.

Speaking at a press conference after the settlement was reached, Keiko Onoue said “I kept silent for about 50 years because there were no people to discuss it with…Now that a new relief law has been created, I hope more victims can come forward.”