The Japanese government is expected to reach a court settlement with a woman who says she was forcibly sterilized under the now defunct Eugenic Protection Law.
The settlement expected to be reached as early as Wednesday would be the first among such court cases.
The plaintiff, Nishi Sumiko of Tokyo, is 77. She has cerebral palsy. Nishi filed a lawsuit against the state saying she was forced to undergo sterilization surgery with no explanation at the age of 14.
Earlier this month, the Supreme Court ruled that the defunct law was unconstitutional and ordered the state to compensate victims. The law allowed forced sterilization for reasons such as having a disability.
The state subsequently said it would aim to settle with plaintiffs as quickly as possible in all trials.
Nishi’s legal team says the government is expected to agree to the compensation at the Tokyo District Court on Wednesday. The team says the amount is likely to be at the same level that was ordered in the Supreme Court.
That decision ordered the state to pay 16.5 million yen, or about 108,000 dollars, in compensation per person, including legal expenses.
Thirty-nine people have filed lawsuits across Japan over the Eugenic Protection Law. Trials are ongoing for about 20 people. The plaintiffs are calling for early settlements.