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Forced sterilization settlement deal imminent

The government could conclude a basic agreement as early as Sept. 13 to settle a series of damages lawsuits over forced sterilization conducted under the now-defunct eugenic protection law, according to informed sources.
The government will agree to pay up to ¥15 million ($105,000) per plaintiff and ¥2 million per spouse in consolation money to bring an end to the lawsuits, the sources said Wednesday.
The basic agreement will cover around 20 plaintiffs in ongoing lawsuits, the sources said.
The agreement will likely not cover a plaintiff in a lawsuit in Hokkaido, who was not recognized by the Supreme Court as having undergone forced sterilization and, therefore, lost the case. The plaintiff side is expected to ask for compensation under a planned new law to provide relief to victims.
The Tokyo High Court was slated to hand down a ruling in a forced sterilization lawsuit involving a plaintiff in Shizuoka Prefecture on Sept. 13, but the session was changed to oral proceedings. The sources said that the settlement will likely be reached that day.
In July, the Supreme Court’s Grand Bench handed down a ruling on five forced sterilization lawsuits, recognizing that the now-defunct law was unconstitutional and that the government was liable to pay damages.
Following the ruling, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida apologized to the victims and announced that the government would reach settlements in ongoing lawsuits.
At the end of July, the first forced sterilization settlement was reached at the Tokyo District Court between the government and a Tokyo plaintiff. The government agreed to pay a total of ¥16.5 million for the settlement, including costs to cover legal fees and other expenses.

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