Japan's military has allegedly been burdened by a pervasive culture of harassment and fear. According to a recent study, this prompts officials to pledge change and drastic measures.
Public broadcaster NHK reports that the Ministry of Defense commissioned the report's panel of specialists, which included both attorneys and medical professionals. These results come from an inquiry into claims of sexual harassment inside the Japanese Self-Defense Forces (SDF), including those made by whistleblower and former SDF member Rina Gonoi.
A Sense of Fear and Harassment
This picture taken on February 22, 2023, shows Rina Gonoi, a former member of Japan's Ground Self-Defense Force who was sexually assaulted by colleagues, checking old photos on her phone during an interview with AFP in Tokyo.
Last week, researchers presented their findings after reviewing 1,325 complaints of harassment.
The vast majority of reported events included power harassment, bullying, and other abuses of authority in the workplace, while just around 12% involved sexual harassment. More than two-thirds of victims surveyed in the research said they never saw a counselor because they did not believe it would help.
Nearly 13% of those who never sought therapy said they felt uncomfortable speaking up because of the stigma surrounding mental health issues. Another 10% said they were worried about reprisal or being disadvantaged at work, while others claimed they had no faith in the readily accessible consulting services.
According to the survey, individuals who sought out therapy were disappointed with the results. Many people reported feeling unwelcome and uneasy at the SDF's offices and counseling centers, where they thought their cases would not be prioritized.
The investigation showed that many victims of SDF-reported harassment felt "passed around" by counselors or "thrown in the rubbish." Others said they never heard back from the SDF after numerous inquiries and meetings with counselors.
In response to the news, Japanese Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada said, "We recognize that harassment is destructive to the Self-Defense Forces. We would like to take firm action based on the recommendations toward building an organization that does not tolerate harassment at all."
The necessity to contemplate and adopt extreme measures, he added, was pressing and must be done immediately.
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Fights Against Sexual Abuse
Over the last year, the SDF has been the subject of intense national and public scrutiny, with ex-soldier Gonoi at the forefront of calls for reform.
According to CNN, Gonoi claims that she was subjected to regular acts of sexual harassment and assault by her superiors in the SDF for over a year. Upon leaving the SDF in June 2022, she pledged to seek justice for her alleged abusers.
At first, law enforcement did not seem to believe her. Two investigations were opened when she reported the abuse to military officials. However, both were closed due to a lack of evidence, causing her to take the fight to social media.
According to Gonoi's attorneys, prosecutors renewed the investigation and determined that she had been subjected to daily acts of physical and verbal sexual harassment during the months of September 2020 and August 2021. Five personnel were dishonorably discharged, and four others were disciplined after the Ministry of Defense issued a rare acknowledgment of guilt and public apology.
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