Japanese journo wins high-profile #MeToo case

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A Tokyo court on Wednesday awarded 3.3 million yen (USD 30,000) in damages to journalist Shiori Ito, who accused a former TV reporter of rape in one of the most high-profile cases of the #MeToo movement in Japan.

The civil case made headlines in Japan and abroad, as it is rare for rape victims to report the crime to the police -- according to a 2017 government survey, only four per cent of women come forward.

Ito, 30, has become an outspoken symbol for #MeToo in Japan, where the movement against sexual harassment and abuse has struggled to take hold.

She had sought 11 million yen (USD 100,000) in compensation from Noriyuki Yamaguchi, a former TV reporter with close links to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, alleging he raped her after inviting her to dinner to discuss a job opportunity in 2015.

Yamaguchi continues to deny any wrongdoing and had filed a counter-suit against Ito, seeking 130 million yen in compensation.

"We won. The counter-suit was turned down," said Ito outside the court, holding up a banner that read "victory" as supporters cheered and clapped.

"Honestly I still don't know how I feel," she told reporters, struggling to hold back the tears. "However, winning this case doesn't mean this (sexual assault) didn't happen... This is not the end," she added. She said she hoped the case would change what she called the "under-developed" legal and social environment surrounding rape in Japan.