Democracy often involves making tough choices between different compelling interests. But when policymakers wrap their decisions in secrecy, there will be losing parties who will feel betrayed for years. Indeed, just this month, an American federal court dismissed a lawsuit against Japan for war crimes involving "comfort women," saying it lacked jurisdiction to grant the redress that the plaintiffs "seek and surely deserve." This was because Japan is immune from lawsuits and prosecution in the United States under American federal law.
