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A former Japanese servicewoman today submitted a petition signed by more than 100,000 people to the Ministry of Defense, demanding an independent investigation into a case of sexual abuse of which she was a victim, France Press reported.

Twenty-two-year-old Rina Gonoi decided to publicly reveal her accusations after the judicial investigation was terminated by the Japanese prosecutor's office due to lack of sufficient evidence, BTA informed.

In Japan, allegations of sexual abuse are rarely made public, with victims often reluctant to file complaints, a situation that has remained unchanged in the country even after the rise of the #MeToo movement. 

In 2021, one year after starting her service in the Ground Forces of the Japan Self-Defense Force, Rina Gonoi took part in a month-long training exercise in mountainous terrain.

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During their conduct, she was called out by soldiers who had consumed alcohol and two of her commanders.

The men talked about martial arts and ordered their subordinates to apply a certain fighting technique to Gonoi, she told a press conference in Tokyo today.

According to her, one of the men grabbed her by the neck, then knocked her to the ground and forced her legs apart.

Subsequently, he made movements resembling a sexual act, which was repeated by two more people present, while the others laughed.

Desperate after her appeal was rejected, Rina Gonoi decided to start a petition demanding a "fair investigation, punishment and apology".

To date, the petition has been signed by over 106,000 people.

Rina Gonoi's actions unleashed a wave of hundreds of other allegations of sexual abuse and harassment in the Japan Self-Defense Force, by both women and men.

According to Gonoi, they were brought to the defense ministry along with her petition.

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Jiro Kimura, Japan's defense lawmaker, accepted Gonoi's petition and promised the government would follow the case closely.

"The Ministry of Defense and the Japan Self-Defense Force are of the firm opinion that there should be no sexual violence among military personnel," he said.

Japan

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