PRESS CONFERENCE
Koji Niisato, Attorney at Law & Co-Chairman, Lawyers Group for Victims of the Eugenic Protection Act
Yasuyuki Tokuda, Attorney at law & Leader, Oita Lawyers' Group for Victims of the Eugenic Protection Act
Junko Iizuka, Co-Chair, Group of Victims of the Eugenic Protection Act & Plaintiff in the Sendai lawsuit
June 21, Wednesday, 11:00-12:00(Press Conference)
(The speech and Q & A will be in Japanese with English interpretation)
Japan had an infamous Eugenics Protection Law on its books from 1948 until 1996. During that period, 25,000 people, 75% of them women, underwent forced sterilization to eliminate "bad genes." Some men had their testicles removed. Some women underwent forced abortions. Some had their fallopian tubes tied or their uteruses removed to prevent future pregnancies. These procedures took place without consent. Many victims say they were unaware of what was done to them because they were neither notified in advance nor informed afterwards.
Thirty five forced sterilization victims have sued the government in different courts in the last 5 years. All of the courts have acknowledged the government's wrongdoing but some courts have rejected plaintiffs demands for compensation citing a 20 year statute of limitations.
In the most recent case, on June 1, the Sendai High Court ruled the lapsed statute of limitations prevented compensating two women in their 60s and 70s for their forced sterilizations despite the court's finding the procedure was unconstitutional.
The plaintiffs have filed an appeal to the Supreme Court, claiming the application of the statute of limitation was unjust because they were not aware they had been sterilized at the time of the procedure. They say they only learned what was done to them after the government acknowledged wrongdoing and terminated the Eugenics Protection Law. The lawyers and the plaintiffs are calling on the government to drop its appeal, noting the age of the plaintiffs. Five of the original 35 plaintiffs have died during the court battles. But the government appears determined to fight this case at the Supreme Court.
Junko Iizuka, one of plaintiffs in the Sendai court case; and attorneys Koji Niisato and Yasuyuki Tokuda, both members of lawyers groups seeking justice for Eugenic Protection Act victims, will join this FCCJ press conference.
How to attend:
Please register at front@fccj.or.jp with your name, the name of your media outlet, and FCCJ membership number. Due to space restrictions attendance will be limited. Doors open 15 minutes before the event. Please sign in, giving your name and contact details at the reception, and have your temperature taken before proceeding.
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Professional Activities Committee