TOKYO, Japan: Three former soldiers in Japan were convicted by a court for sexually assaulting a female colleague, marking a significant ruling following Rina Gonoi’s public outcry on YouTube in 2022.
Initially, Fukushima prosecutors had declined charges but reversed their decision in March.
The country, known for its conservative values, often avoids discussions on sexual violence. In a recent court decision, Shutaro Shibuya, Akito Sekine, and Yusuke Kimezawa received a two-year suspended sentence in Fukushima, highlighting the first major verdict on sexual assault since Japan revamped its sex crime laws in June. This legal shift followed years of activism due to contentious court rulings that had previously led to the acquittal of alleged perpetrators, dissuading survivors from speaking out.
In August 2021, Ms Gonoi faced a distressing incident when three male colleagues forcibly restrained her on a bed, spreading her legs and repeatedly pressing their crotches against her. Shockingly, despite the presence of numerous colleagues, no one intervened, and some even found the situation amusing, as Ms. Gonoi disclosed in her conversation with the BBC.
Although she reported the assault to her superiors, her complaint was disregarded due to the absence of witness testimonies. Subsequently, the three men were referred to prosecutors for indecent assault by the GSDF police unit, but the case was closed due to insufficient evidence, leading Ms. Gonoi to depart from the army.
Her ordeal gained attention after a viral YouTube video and a petition gathering over 100,000 signatures, urging the defense ministry to investigate her case. Eventually, the ministry issued an apology and initiated an uncommon investigation, uncovering more than 100 additional harassment complaints within the ministry.
However, this exposure subjected Ms. Gonoi to a wave of online abuse and even death threats.
“Some [online] would say ‘you are ugly’…[others] would say ‘are you actually a man?” she told the BBC. “When I was collecting signatures for the petition, I got a threatening email saying, ‘I’ll kill you if you go any further'”.
Ms. Gonoi recounted experiencing pervasive sexual harassment, enduring comments about her body and enduring instances of groping or unwanted physical contact, even prior to the specific incident. This led her to file a civil lawsuit against five perpetrators and the Japanese government. Seeking 5.5 million yen ($40,000; £32,000) in damages from the men for causing mental distress, and an additional 2 million yen from the state for its failure to prevent abuse.
The issue of sexual assault has historically been a taboo in Japan, gaining national attention in recent years due to cases like Ms. Gonoi’s, Shiori Ito’s legal battle, and the Johnny Kitagawa expose. In June, a significant reform of sex crime laws took place, broadening the definition of rape and raising the age of consent to 16 years, aligning Japanese law with international standards.
Furthermore, the new laws explicitly outline eight scenarios where it’s challenging for a victim to express non-consent, including instances involving intoxication, threats, violence, or situations where the victim feels frightened or pressured. Ms Gonoi’s advocacy and resilience led to her inclusion in the BBC 100 Women list for 2023 and the TIME100 Next 2023 List.
