Former Japanese soldier settles case against state, former colleague

(MENAFN) Rina Gonoi, a former member of Japan’s Self-Defense Forces who was sexually assaulted while in service, has reached a settlement with the remaining two defendants in her civil case—the state and a former colleague.

Gonoi’s lawyer confirmed on Monday that she will receive 1.6 million yen ($10,400; £7,600) from the Japanese government, but no compensation or apology from the ex-colleague. This resolves her lawsuit against five ex-soldiers and the state, after earlier settlements with four of the five.

In a separate 2023 criminal case, three of the ex-soldiers were convicted of sexual assault.

Gonoi’s case has been described as landmark in Japan, where victims of sexual violence rarely speak publicly. She first shared her story on YouTube in 2022.

Public discussion of sexual violence has grown in recent years following high-profile cases such as journalist Shiori Ito’s court battle and revelations about J-pop producer Johnny Kitagawa.

At a press conference, Gonoi reflected on her experience: "During these 4.5 years I came to understand first-hand just how heavy the weight of speaking up is. Even so, I did not regret speaking out," she said.

Earlier this month, the 26-year-old posted on X that her long legal struggle had "come to an end" and expressed gratitude to supporters. Gonoi had originally sought 5.5 million yen ($40,000; £32,000) from the men for mental distress, and 2 million yen from the state for failing to prevent the abuse.

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