Saburo Ienaga - Third Lawsuit

Third Lawsuit

Ienaga filed a suit against the government of Japan to demand state compensation for the result of textbook authorization in 1982 that rejected his draft textbook.

• First trial (filed by Ienaga on January 1, 1984, ruled on October 3, 1989, at Tokyo District Court): Judge Kato ruled that while the authorization system itself was constitutional, there was a certain abuse of discretion on the part of the Ministry regarding the unconstitutional censoring of the description of soumoutai (草莽隊), and ordered the state to compensate Ienaga 100,000 yen.
• Second trial (filed by the state on October 13, 1989, ruled on October 20, 1993, at Tokyo High Court): Judge Kawakami ruled that while the authorization system itself was constitutional, there was a certain abuse of discretion on the part of the Ministry regarding the unconstitutional censoring of the descriptions of Nanking Massacre and sexual assaults by the military in addition to soumoutai, and ordered the state to compensate Ienaga 300,000 yen.
• Third trial (filed by Ienaga on October 25, 1993, ruled on August 29, 1997, at Supreme Court): Judge Ono ruled that while the authorization system itself was constitutional, there was a certain abuse of discretion on the part of the Ministry regarding the unconstitutional censoring of the descriptions of Unit 731, sexual assaults at Nanking in addition to soumoutai, and ordered the state to pay Ienaga 400,000 yen as compensation.