AFP, TOKYOA Tokyo court yesterday awarded ￥3.3 million (US$30,122) in damages to journalist Shiori Ito, who accused a former TV reporter of rape in one of the most high-profile cases of the #MeToo movement in Japan. The civil case made headlines in Japan and abroad, as it is rare for rape victims to report the crime to the police; according to a 2017 government survey, only 4 percent of women come forward. Ito, 30, has become an outspoken symbol for #MeToo in Japan, where the movement against sexual harassment and abuse has struggled to take hold. Yamaguchi continues to deny any wrongdoing and had filed a countersuit against Ito, seeking ￥130 million in compensation. She said she hoped that the case would change what she called the “underdeveloped” legal and social environment surrounding rape in Japan.
