Japan journalist wins high-profile rape case

TOKYO: A Tokyo court yesterday awarded ¥3.3 million (RM124,139) 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 4% 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 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 denies any wrongdoing and had filed a counter-suit against Ito, seeking ¥130 million 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.

Yamaguchi said he would appeal “immediately” against the ruling and claimed the court had failed to acknowledge inconsistencies and “falsehoods” in Ito’s argument while ignoring his own arguments.

He said the significant international media attention around the case might have clouded the judgment of the court and vowed to be more vocal in future. – AFP