It is a symbolic case of Rina Gonoi, the 24-year-old former soldier who reported sexual harassment and assault to three of her comrades in 2021. However, the military leaders quickly shelved everything. A not uncommon fact in a very misogynistic country where women rarely report the abuse they suffer. But Rina, who left the Self-Defense Forces in June last year, refused to give up and shared what happened to her on YouTube in 2022. The video immediately went viral and a petition signed by over 100,000 people forced Japan's Defense Ministry to acknowledge the attack and issue a public apology.
A new trial was launched and today the Fukushima Court sentenced Shutaro Shibuya, Akito Sekine and Yusuke Kimezawa to two years in prison with a suspended sentence of 15 years for the “indecent acts” committed by Rina Gonoi during a year four years sentenced military exercise in 2021. “Today’s verdict – said the girl outside the court – shows that what they did was a crime, so I want them to face it and think about their actions.” And I hope this encourages other victims to speak out.”
The aggression
In August 2021, Gonoi was tied to a bed by three comrades who forcibly opened her legs and rubbed against her. Other soldiers were present at the violence and instead of intervening, they laughed. Gonoi reported the incident to his superiors, the three men were referred to the military court, but the proceedings were dropped due to lack of evidence. Disappointed and humiliated, the soldier left the army but decided not to surrender. After the success of his YouTube video and petition to the Defense Department, military leaders discovered hundreds more cases of abuse within their ranks.
The threats
The more the case spread, the more Gonoi was insulted and threatened, even with death. “They wrote to me: 'I'll kill you if you go any further' – she told the BBC – or 'You're ugly', 'You look like a man to me'”. The young woman also described the climate of constant harassment in the barracks: “Even before the sexual assault, colleagues were making comments about my body, touching me and rubbing themselves against me while the others watched.” Gonoi has initiated civil proceedings in which she demanding 5.5 million yen (US$40,000; £32,000) in compensation from the perpetrators for causing them psychological distress and a further 2 million yen from the state for failing to prevent the abuse.
Previous
In recent years, there have been two other cases of sexual violence that made headlines in Japan. The case of Johnny Kitagawa, the entrepreneur who died in 2019 at the age of 87 and founder of the most powerful talent production agency in the Land of the Rising Sun, Johnny & Associates. Last March, a BBC-produced documentary in the mainstream media brought to light what had already been discussed in press articles and in courts at the end of the last century, namely that Kitagawa exploited his position of power to have sexual relationships with the young boys joined his company. By September, the number of people harassed reached almost 500.
In 2019, journalist Shiori Ito became a symbol of the #MeToo movement after winning a civil case in court against a colleague Noriyuki Yamaguchi, who raped her while she was unconscious in 2015. According to the prosecutor's office, there was insufficient evidence for a criminal case, so Ito initiated a civil case.