Trial begins over forced sterilizations

Aug 07, 2018 | News On Japan

Aug 07, 2018 (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.

Typhoon No. 29 Moves North-Northeast at Very Strong Intensity, High Waves Expected

Typhoon No. 29 was moving north-northeast near the Ogasawara Islands at very strong intensity as of 4 p.m. on October 12th, with forecasts indicating that the storm will turn further east and move away from Japan, although powerful swells are expected to continue generating high waves along parts of the country's Pacific coast.

Record-Strong El Nino Expected to Bring Warm Winter to Japan

Japan is expected to experience a warmer-than-normal winter as the El Nino phenomenon currently affecting the Pacific Ocean has reached its strongest level on record, with the Japan Meteorological Agency announcing on October 10th that unusually high sea surface temperatures are likely to persist through the coming winter months.

Otsu Festival Parades Elaborate Floats Following UNESCO Recognition

The Otsu Festival, one of Shiga Prefecture's three major traditional festivals, was held in Otsu City on October 11th, featuring a procession of 13 elaborately decorated floats carrying traditional mechanical puppets through the streets, following the festival's addition to UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list in December last year.

Cyberattacks Spread Across Japan

A series of cyberattacks has disrupted business operations and exposed millions of customer records across Japan, with a ransomware attack on a cloud service provider affecting 495 companies and local governments nationwide, while convenience store operator Lawson has disclosed a separate breach involving more than 2.15 million personal information records.

Japan's First 360-Degree Projection Mapping Opens in Osaka

Japan's first 360-degree projection mapping show will open at the Osaka City Museum of Fine Arts on October 10, transforming the historic building into an immersive world of light, music, and seasonal imagery, with organizers hoping the attraction will also help stimulate the city's nighttime economy.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Society NEWS

Two Killed, Eight Injured in Osaka Danjiri Festival Accidents

Two men were killed and eight others injured in separate accidents involving traditional danjiri festival floats in Osaka Prefecture on October 10, including one incident in which a float overturned while making a sharp turn, crushing a participant beneath it.

Most Sightings of Fugitive Yoichi Hatta Reported in Kanto

Police in Oita Prefecture have revealed that the Kanto region accounts for the largest number of reported sightings of Yoichi Hatta, a fugitive wanted in connection with a fatal hit-and-run incident in Beppu in 2022, with authorities preparing to distribute new wanted posters nationwide from November as the search enters its fifth year.