
On Thursday, March 14, all major parties in Japan agreed to pass a measure, probably in April, that would “deeply apologize” and offer compensation to victim-survivors of forced sterilization. The compensation would be a one-off payment of around $28,700. Now we know the value of life in Japan … and elsewhere. Survivors and their supporters and advocates argue that the compensation is way too little and way too late. Japan suspended its 48-year program of sterilizing those who might produce children described as “inferior”, under a law called the Eugenics Protection Law. The youngest known victim was 9 or 10 years old; 70% of those sterilized were women and girls. Since 1996, women and supporters have organized and demanded recognition, compensation, apology, dignity and justice. It only took 23 years to arrive at something approximating any of their demands, and that was largely due to a barrage of civil suits initiated last year. Forced sterilization is a formative element in contemporary nation-building, and Japan is not an outlier in this matter.
From 1935 to 1976, Sweden sterilized womenit deemed socially or racially inferior. `No one’ know about this program until it was revealed in 1997. In 1999, Sweden agreed to pay victim-survivors a one-off payment of $22,6000. Then, in 2012, it was `revealed’ that Sweden required transgender people to undergo sterilization. The law requiring sterilization was passed in 1972, but “no one” knew. In February 2012, thirty years after its passage, the law was repealed.
Japan now joins the list of nation-States dealing, and not dealing, with their histories of forced sterilization: Peru, South Africa, Namibia, India, to name a few that have addressed the issue in the last few years. Sometimes the ostensible reason is health care, particularly HIV; or population control; and the list goes on. No matter the immediate explanation, the reason is always “protection.” In the past few years, in the United States, California, Virginia, North Carolinahave addressed their histories of forced sterilization. The United States has not addressed its history of forced sterilization of Native women. Nor has Canada.
Every program of forced sterilization had a justification. Every later discovery offered an alibi, most of which argued `the times were different’. That was then. The problem is that now is then, as then was now. Forced sterilization of women and girls is baked into the formation of citizenship in the modern nation-State, every single one without exception. It is the signature of nation-State modernity. As long as the State produces and reproduces hierarchies of citizenship, that’s how long the nation-State will find ways to accommodate forced sterilization of women and girls. For `our’ protection and security. There is no apology deep enough to address that constitutive and absolutely ordinary atrocity.

(Photo Credit: Daniel Hurst /The Guardian) (Image Credit: PBS / Truman State University)
Relief falls short for victims of eugenics law https://www.japantimes.co.jp/opinion/2019/03/19/editorials/relief-falls-short-victims-eugenics-law/
Japan: Compelled Sterilization of Transgender People https://www.hrw.org/news/2019/03/19/japan-compelled-sterilization-transgender-people
Sendai court ends trial on forced sterilization suits despite gov’t wish for more hearings https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20190321/p2a/00m/0na/010000c
Forced sterilization victims want gov’t to wait for court ruling before extending relief https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20190321/p2a/00m/0na/017000c
Abe to issue apology to victims of forced sterilization https://japantoday.com/category/politics/abe-to-issue-apology-to-victims-of-forced-sterilization
Japan sterilisation law victims get compensation and apology https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-48036732
Japan apologises to victims of forced sterilisation https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/apr/24/japan-apologises-to-people-forcibly-sterilised-under-defunct-eugenics-law
Japanese to compensate victims of forced sterilisation. http://news.trust.org/item/20190424051147-gm0ly/
Sterilization relief won’t end the issue for victims https://www.japantimes.co.jp/opinion/2019/04/29/editorials/sterilization-relief-wont-end-issue-victims/
Compensation approved for sterilization victims https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190524_35/
Two forcibly sterilised women in Japan denied damages by court https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/may/28/two-forcibly-sterilised-women-in-japan-denied-damages-by-court
Japan court says forced sterilisations unconstitutional, refuses compensation -media. http://news.trust.org/item/20190528065308-cg3xq/
Sendai court’s ruling on forced sterilization raises questions: http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/AJ201905290032.html
Court rules defunct eugenics law unconstitutional but denies damages https://japantoday.com/category/national/court-rules-defunct-eugenics-law-unconstitutional-but-denies-damages
Mixed ruling on eugenics victims https://www.japantimes.co.jp/opinion/2019/05/30/editorials/mixed-ruling-eugenics-victims/
The damage done to kin of Hansen’s disease patients | The Japan Times https://www.japantimes.co.jp/opinion/2019/07/03/editorials/damage-done-kin-hansens-disease-patients/
Long overdue recognition of the damage done https://www.japantimes.co.jp/opinion/2019/07/10/editorials/long-overdue-recognition-damage-done/
Government to hold the first meeting to certify people who underwent forced sterilization under now-defunct 1948 eugenics law. Certified surviving victims will be eligible for ¥3.2 million ($29,700) in state redress in accordance with law enacted in April to compensate the victims. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2019/07/21/reference/week-ahead-july-22-july-28/#.XTP8qS2B3Vo
22 forced sterilization victims without records to be compensated https://japantoday.com/category/national/22-forced-sterilization-victims-without-records-to-be-compensated
2 sterilized after scrapping of eugenics law seek investigation :http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/AJ202001310047.html
Editorial: Japan’s forced sterilization victims need easier path to compensation https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20200427/p2a/00m/0na/003000c
Court rules defunct eugenics law unconstitutional, denies damages https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2021/01/aa2dbcb4e86c-court-rules-defunct-eugenics-law-unconstitutional-denies-damages.html
Court denies compensation for unconstitutional sterilization : The Asahi Shimbun http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14112033
Japan court awards damages to victims of forced sterilisation for first time https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/feb/23/japan-court-awards-damages-victims-forced-sterilisation-first-time-eugenics-law
Can Japan Face Up to Its Legacy of Forced Sterilization? https://thediplomat.com/2022/03/can-japan-face-up-to-its-legacy-of-forced-sterilization/
Japan court awards damages over forced sterilization in 2nd case https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2022/03/3eaf348d7cba-japan-court-awards-damages-over-forced-sterilization-in-2nd-case.html
Editorial: Japan gov’t must compensate forced sterilization victims, not appeal rulings – The Mainichi https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20220315/p2a/00m/0op/012000c