Japanese lawmakers were called upon by plaintiffs involved in lawsuits over forced sterilizations conducted under the now-defunct eugenic protection law to address the issue and avoid repeating past mistakes. The plaintiffs, who were awarded damages in a Supreme Court ruling deeming the old law unconstitutional, emphasized the government’s liability in the matter during a hearing on Tuesday.
The hearing, organized by a cross-party group of lawmakers led by Norihisa Tamura, executive acting chairman of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party’s Policy Research Council, was attended by three individuals, including two plaintiffs who were subjected to forced sterilizations. The discussion aimed to bring awareness to the injustices suffered under the outdated law and push for prompt action in resolving the lingering issues caused by its implementation.