A Japanese high court on Thursday rejected an appeal for damages by two women who were sterilized under a now-defunct eugenics protection law, upholding a lower court decision due to the 20-year statute of limitations passing.
The two plaintiffs in their 60s and 70s in Miyagi Prefecture had sought a total of ¥71.5 million ($511,000), arguing that the law deprived them of self-determination with regard to giving birth and raising children, which is guaranteed under the Constitution.
The ruling at the Sendai High Court came despite four courts' rulings since February 2022 awarding damages over forced sterilization.