Society

Trial begins over forced sterilizations

Aug 07 (NHK) - A Japanese court has begun a trial filed by a man who is seeking compensation from the government after being forced to undergo sterilization under the now-defunct Eugenic Protection Law.

The 75-year-old Tokyo man says he was forcibly sterilized without his knowledge in 1957. He is among others who are suing the government. The man is seeking about 270,000 dollars in compensation.

In his opening statement on Monday, the plaintiff told the Tokyo District Court that he is sorry that he had kept the operation secret from his wife for 40 years until shortly before her death. He said he wants the government to understand how people were hurt by the inhumane law that deprived them of their reproductive functions.

The state has said it will reject the man's claim, and will provide more details in the trial.

Before the law was abolished in 1996, about 16,500 people are said to have undergone forced sterilizations on the grounds that they had disabilities. Compensation suits against the state have been filed with 4 courts throughout the country.

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