Japan court orders another forced sterilization payout

Jan 23, 2023 | News On Japan

Kumamoto, Jan 23, 2023 (NHK) - A Japanese court is ordering the government to compensate two people who were forcibly sterilized because of a disability. This is the third such ruling in under a year.

The sterilization procedures were ordered under the Eugenic Protection Law --- scrapped in the 1990s.

The plaintiffs are a 78-year-old man and a 76-year-old woman in Kumamoto Prefecture. Each was sterilized more than 40 years ago. The government argued they waited too long to file a suit and the statute of limitations had passed.

The Kumamoto District Court dismissed that argument, saying the law clearly violated the Constitution and was both discriminatory and inhumane.

The court ordered damages of 170,000 dollars split between the elderly plaintiffs, an amount well below what they requested. ...continue reading

Tropical Depression Expected to Develop Into Typhoon No. 18

A tropical depression developing near the Chuuk Islands is expected to become a typhoon by the evening of August 19 before continuing to strengthen over unusually warm waters and reaching the vicinity of the Mariana Islands as a strong typhoon by August 23.

Moss-Covered Healing Forest Draw Visitors

After 10 p.m., the clouds that had covered the sky above Shirakoma Pond gradually began to clear, revealing countless stars and the Milky Way rising vividly over the mountain lake in Nagano Prefecture's Northern Yatsugatake range.

Fire Breaks Out at Sairinji Temple in Saga

A fire broke out at Sairinji temple in Saga city on the morning of August 18, engulfing the building in flames and prompting the dispatch of 10 fire engines and two ambulances, with no injuries reported so far.

Flood Damage Cripples Chiba Transport

Severe disruption continued across Chiba Prefecture after the holiday period, with rail closures forcing some commuters into three-hour journeys while more than 2,700 vehicles remained immobilized by flooding caused by last week's torrential rain.

Obon Return Rush Jams Stations, Airports and Expressways

Train stations, airports and expressways were crowded on August 16 as travelers returned from vacations and hometown visits on the final day of the Obon holiday.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Society NEWS

Vandal Caught Smashing Iconic Lantern in Kyoto's Gion

Police are investigating after a custom-made chili pepper-shaped lantern worth more than 200,000 yen was smashed outside a restaurant in Kyoto's Gion district, with security camera footage capturing a person striking and destroying the shop's distinctive symbol.

Man Accused of Attempted Murder Goes Missing From Hospital

A 77-year-old man charged with attempted murder has gone missing after apparently leaving a hospital in Hakodate, Hokkaido, where he had been admitted for medical treatment, prompting prosecutors and police to search for him.

Hunter Takes Shot at Authorities Over Missing Gun

A 77-year-old hunter from Sunagawa, Hokkaido, who won a Supreme Court ruling overturning the revocation of his firearms license, filed a damages lawsuit against the national government and Hokkaido on August 17 after discovering that one of four seized hunting rifles had been destroyed years earlier without being returned to him.

Missing British Girl, 12, Found Safe After Staying at Internet Cafe

A 12-year-old British girl who disappeared while visiting Japan with her family was found safe in Yokohama on Saturday night, about 59 hours after leaving their private lodging in Tokyo, with police saying there was no indication that she had been involved in a crime.

Chinese Investment Reshapes Osaka's Nishinari Neighborhood

Osaka's Nishinari Ward, long known as a working-class neighborhood that accepted people from diverse backgrounds, is being rapidly reshaped by Chinese-led property development and a surge in special-zone private lodgings, bringing new business and tourism while displacing some longtime elderly residents.