Former Japan Ground Self-Defense Force Members Given Suspended Prison Sentences for Assault

Three former Japan Ground Self-Defense Force members have been handed suspended prison sentences for indecently assaulting their former subordinate, Rina Gonoi. The 31-year-old Shutaro Shibuya, 30-year-old Akito Sekine, and 29-year-old Yusuke Kimezawa were recognized by the court for using martial arts techniques to force 24-year-old Gonoi onto a bed and pressing their bodies against hers. The sentence, suspended for four years, was finalized after neither the defense counsel nor the prosecutors appealed the ruling.

Gonoi, who left the GSDF in June 2022 after the attack, publicly exposed her ordeal, leading to the Defense Ministry dishonorably discharging the three former members and implementing efforts to address harassment issues within the organization. Despite the charges, the former sergeants insisted on their innocence, claiming they neither indecently touched Gonoi nor intended to. However, the court dismissed their denials as "unnatural, unreasonable, and untrustworthy."

The attack occurred in the presence of others while the group was eating and drinking at a GSDF training facility in Hokkaido on Aug. 3, 2021. Gonoi has since launched a campaign to raise awareness about the harassment she endured while serving, receiving support from people in Japan and around the world.