Final Settlement Reached in GSDF Sexual Abuse Case

From Jiji

January 26 2026

TOKYO – A former member of Japan’s Ground Self-Defense Force reached a final settlement on Monday in a damages lawsuit she filed over sexual assault by five then GSDF members. 
   The settlement, reached at Yokohama District Court, includes the government’s payment of a total of 1.6 million yen to the plaintiff, Rina Gonoi, 26, but not an apology or payment from the five former GSDF members.
   At a press conference in Tokyo on the day, Gonoi said that the settlement is a milestone but not the end of her suffering. “Now, I can start to walk my own path in life.”
   The Defense Ministry issued a statement saying that harassment must never be tolerated, and that it will implement effective prevention measures to create an environment in which harassment is not accepted.