Prime Minister Shinzo Abe plans to issue a statement offering a state apology to those who were subject to forced sterilization under a now-defunct eugenics law after a redress bill clears the Diet, government sources said Tuesday.
His statement and the bill's expected enactment this month to provide ¥3.2 million ($28,600) in state redress to each victim are unlikely to settle compensation disputes, however, as victims are demanding much larger payments.
The compensation bill has been criticized by victims for its wording, which does not clarify government responsibility and only states that "we" apologize for causing victims' physical and mental suffering.