Eleven victims—who were involved in five cases that were considered on appeal—were also ordered by the Supreme Court to receive compensation from the government.
The historic decision on Wednesday puts an end to the victims’ decades-long quest for justice, during which they demanded reparations and an apology.
A 2019 law finally awarded surviving victims damages after years of lawsuits, but others have persisted in their pursuit for more money.
The central government had appealed against the compensation decisions made by the lower courts in four of the cases that were presented before the court.
Two female plaintiffs had appealed in the fifth instance against the dismissal of their claims.
About 25,000 people, many of whom had inherited infirmities, had surgery to avoid producing children who would be considered “inferior” as a result of a post-World War II law.
The government of Japan admitted that 16,500 sterilization procedures were carried out without permission.
Lawyers have stated that the 8,500 additional patients were “de facto forced” into surgery because to the pressure they were under at the time, despite the authorities’ claims that they gave their consent for the surgeries.
