How did Japanese society, which was supposed to have transformed into a democracy after World War II, justify discrimination against people with disabilities and openly endorse eugenics?
This is a key question people may ask in connection with a landmark ruling by the Supreme Court last week that finally declared a defunct eugenics law unconstitutional.
For nearly 50 years, the 1948 law facilitated forced sterilization surgeries for thousands of people with disabilities as a national policy. In a unanimous decision by the 15-justice bench, the top court held the government liable for compensating the victims and rejected the application of a 20-year statute of limitations on damages claims.
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