Japan ex-soldier sues gov’t, colleagues over sexual abuse

By MARI YAMAGUCHI
Associated Press

TOKYO (AP) — A former Japanese soldier who reported being sexually abused by military colleagues says she has filed a damage suit against five perpetrators and the government because she feels their earlier apologies were empty. Rina Gonoi went public with her experiences last year, demanding the Defense Ministry reinvestigate her case, in which she said she was repeatedly assaulted by multiple servicemen, causing her to quit her military career. The military had dropped her case when she initially filed a complaint in 2021, saying there was insufficient evidence. She is seeking a total of $42,000 from the five assailants and $15,000 from the government for failing to prevent the assaults and properly investigate.