Shiori Ito speaks to the media in front of the Tokyo District Court on Decemin Tokyo, Japan. “Because of the limitations of the Japanese legal system, he was not convicted, and the amount of compensation is very little … And we really need to reform this kind of system.” “For her, it’s a victory,” Kazuko Ito said. He has said he plans to appeal soon.ĭespite the ruling in Ito’s favor, Kazuko Ito said the compensation was “insufficient.” She also called for an overhaul of Japan’s rape laws. On Wednesday, the Tokyo District Court judge also dismissed Yamaguchi’s counter appeal for 130 million yen in damages to his reputation and invasion of privacy. Ito pursued the civil case for compensation after a criminal case against Yamaguchi was dropped by police. Yamaguchi was not charged with Ito’s rape, and has repeatedly said he is innocent. Ito’s case is significant as she went to trial – and won, Kazuko Ito told CNN.īut while Shiori Ito considers Wednesday’s decision a “win,” her case has also highlighted problems with how Japan’s justice system deals with rape – and reignited calls for change.įor a start, Ito’s alleged rapist will walk free. Given that, it’s not uncommon for Japanese women to pursue civil cases, but many settle out of court, said Kazuko Ito, a lawyer and the secretary general of Japanese NGO Human Rights Now, who is not related to Shiori Ito. Ito shocked Japan in 2017 by going public with her accusations – an unusual move in a country where it is estimated that more than 95% of sexual assault victims never report their rape to police, according to a 2017 survey by the cabinet office of Japan’s central government.Įven if women do go on the record, they may face other hurdles, including police attempting to discourage them from reporting the crime. Japanese #MeToo symbol wins civil court case two years after she accused a prominent journalist of raping her
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