The Fukushima District Court has ruled that three men, former soldiers in the Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF), were guilty of committing forcible indecency against their former female subordinate, Rina Gonoi. Gonoi, who had endured physical and verbal sexual abuse during her service, fought persistently through the courts and on social media to hold her assailants accountable.
The court sentenced the trio to two years in prison with a suspended sentence, providing an opportunity to avoid incarceration if they refrain from committing crimes over the next two years. The men were accused of using martial arts techniques to restrain Gonoi and engaging in inappropriate actions. While they admitted to pinning her down, they denied the lewd acts. All three had pleaded not guilty.
Gonoi had faced challenges when reporting the abuse to military authorities, as two investigations were dropped due to a purported lack of evidence. Undeterred, she took her battle to social media, a rare move in a country where survivors of sexual assault may encounter backlash for speaking out. Eventually, her efforts led to the Japanese Defense Ministry launching a comprehensive investigation into sexual harassment within the JSDF.
In July, Gonoi shared with CNN her motivation for speaking out: “I wanted to help other people who had also been sexually harassed (in the JSDF). As for the perpetrators, I wanted an apology and for them to admit to what they had done; I wanted to prevent others from going through what I went through; that’s why I spoke out.” The Fukushima District
Following her efforts, prosecutors reopened an investigation confirming that Gonoi had faced daily physical and verbal sexual harassment between late 2020 and August 2021. In a rare admission of guilt, the Ministry of Defense publicly apologized, dishonorably dismissing five servicemen and punishing four others, as reported by NHK.
In a noteworthy move, Ground Self-Defense Force Chief of Staff Yoshihide Yoshida issued a public apology in September 2022, stating, “On behalf of the Ground Self-Defense Force, I would like to express my deepest apologies to Ms. Gonoi, who has been suffering for a long time. I am very sorry.”
Despite these acknowledgments, Gonoi found the actions insufficient and continued her pursuit through both criminal and civil cases in the courts, including legal actions against the government and her alleged assailants.