Forced Infertility Programs: Japan and Korea Confront Dark Pasts of Eugenics

Gwangju,South Korea – The legacy of forced infertility programs in Japan and South Korea,targeting individuals with disabilities,continues to spark debate and demands for justice. These programs, rooted in eugenic ideologies, resulted in the involuntary sterilization of tens of thousands of people, leaving lasting scars on victims and their families.

Japan’s Eugenic Past and Legal Reckoning

The Japanese imperialist government, during and after World War II, implemented policies mirroring the cruelty of Nazi Germany. In 1948, a law was enacted that allowed for forced infertility for individuals with genetic diseases and intellectual disabilities, under the guise of “preventing the birth of poor descendants.” [Link to a relevant academic source about eugenics in Japan]. This resulted in as many as 25,000 women, including a 9-year-old girl, undergoing forced sterilization procedures.

In July 2024, Japan’s Supreme Court declared the program unconstitutional. The court also acknowledged the Japanese government’s liability, and the National Assembly passed a victim compensation law in October 2024. Kim Young-il, chairman of the Gwangju Disabled human Rights Center, condemned the Japanese government’s actions as “a national violence that ignores human dignity and a history that reflects the cruelty of the society to deny the existence of the disabled.”

Did You Know? The term “eugenics” was coined in 1883 by Francis Galton, a statistician and half-cousin of Charles Darwin. It comes from the greek word for “well-born” or “good in stock.”

Pro Tip: When researching historical events, always cross-reference information from multiple sources to ensure accuracy and a balanced outlook.

Korea’s Maternal Health Law and its Consequences

The shadow of eugenics also looms over South Korea. The Maternal Health Law, in effect until 1999, allowed for forced sterilization of individuals with disabilities under the justification of “public interest” to prevent the transmission of genetic diseases. This law effectively normalized forced infertility for the disabled, embedding it as a social practice.

Even in cases of Hansen’s disease, which is not necessarily genetic, patients were often confined to Sorokdo Island and subjected to sterilization. In 1949, the Korean government permitted couples affected by Hansen’s disease to live together only on the condition that they undergo sterilization. Victims of these policies eventually won a Supreme Court lawsuit in February 2017, with the court ruling that these procedures, conducted without consent, violated fundamental human rights.

So Hyun-sook,head of the Korea Women’s Human Rights Promotion Agency’s academic research team,highlighted the importance of learning from Japan’s experience in addressing forced infertility and seeking truth and reconciliation in Korea.

The 2025 World Human Rights City Forum in Gwangju

On May 16, 2025