Kishida Apologizes to Forced Sterilization Victims in No-limits Meeting; Compensation Plans Being Worked Out by Lawmakers

The Yomiuri Shimbun

1:00 JST, July 19, 2024

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Wednesday apologized directly to the plaintiffs in lawsuits over forced sterilization. He had wanted to meet victims soon after the Supreme Court ruled earlier this month against the now-defunct Eugenic Protection Law, under which the sterilizations were performed.

The prime minister sought to show as much respect as possible, not only accepting the plaintiffs’ wishes regarding compensation but also setting no restrictions on their speaking time or the number of participants.

“It was extremely regrettable that as many as 25,000 people suffered the serious harm of being sterilized,” he said in front of about 130 people, including the plaintiffs, at the Prime Minister’s Office on Wednesday afternoon. “I offer a sincere apology to each and every victim,” he added, bowing deeply.

About 20 representatives spoke about their experiences. “I was able to see a ray of hope thanks to the Supreme Court ruling, but there’s no getting my life back,” one victim said in tears. His expression solemn, Kishida listened intently to what the speakers said and shook everyone’s hands, stooping as he did so. The meeting lasted about 100 minutes.

On July 3, the Supreme Court ruled the Eugenic Protection Law was unconstitutional. About two hours after the ruling, Kishida called Ayuko Kato, state minister in charge of measures on the declining birth rate, and instructed her to arrange a meeting with the plaintiffs.

Some in the government suggested holding the meeting after specific compensation measures had been worked out. But Kishida insisted on offering “an apology as soon as possible” as demanded by plaintiffs due to the government’s “having enforced the now defunct law.”

The meeting took place at the Prime Minister’s Office according to the wishes of the plaintiffs. Although attendance is usually limited for security reasons, no such restriction was imposed this time.

The government also did not limit participants’ speaking time, in consideration of a previous misstep. When Environment Minister Shintaro Ito met with groups of Minamata disease sufferers in May, a ministry official turned off the microphones of some victims while they were speaking.

“Because of the prime minister’s wish to demonstrate his sincerity, we’ve made an unprecedented response,” Kishida’s close aide said.

At the meeting, Kishida promised to work on a “a speedy resolution.”

Major questions for the program include how much compensation will be provided and to whom. A cross-party group of legislators is currently working on plans in the runup to an extraordinary Diet session this autumn.

The Supreme Court finalized damages of up to \16.5 million per victim in its ruling. In 2019, the Diet enacted a relief law that offered a one-time payment of \3.2 million to forced sterilization victims.

Kishida said in the meeting that compensation will be paid in accordance with the ruling. He also suggested he would consider compensating victims’ spouses.

In response, the cross-party group of legislators will expedite their work on concrete plans.