Full Breakdown
Japan’s Sexual-Assault Lawsuits Reveal Systemic Second-Victimization
5/28/2026, 9:48:37 PM
Recent Lawsuits Expose Second Victimization
In May 2026 an anonymous woman filed a ¥5 million lawsuit against the Japanese state and a Tokyo prosecutor, alleging that the official who recorded her statement repeatedly dismissed her account, called her “not believable,” and suggested she was filing “for the money.” The case follows a July 2024 Tokyo District Court decision that awarded ¥1.1 million to a plaintiff after prosecutors referred to her as a “kid” and “child-like.”
A separate case involves Ms. A., a former Osaka District Prosecutors Office assistant who accused her former boss, former office head Kitagawa Kentaro, of raping her while intoxicated in 2023. After Kitagawa’s initial admission was withdrawn, Ms. A. faced workplace harassment, a leak of her identity to the press, and ultimately resigned on 30 April 2026. She now leads a signature campaign that has amassed nearly 90 000 names, demanding accountability from the prosecutor’s office.
Legal Reforms and Persistent Barriers
Japan’s 2023 amendment to its sex-crime statutes lowered the evidentiary threshold from proving “forcible sexual intercourse” to establishing “non-consensual sexual intercourse” based on eight criteria. The reform also extended the statute of limitations from ten to fifteen years and raised the age of consent from 13 to 16. Despite these changes, victims continue to report humiliation by police and prosecutors, as illustrated by Ito Shiori’s experience of being urged to reenact her assault with a dummy.
Principal Actors
- Anonymous plaintiff – suing the state and a Tokyo prosecutor.
- Ms. A. – former Osaka prosecutor and complainant against Kitagawa Kentaro.
- Kitagawa Kentaro – former head of the Osaka District Prosecutors Office, accused of rape.
- Tokyo District Court – awarded damages in a 2024 sexual-assault case.
- Ito Shiori – journalist-targeted rape complainant who publicized police misconduct.
Quantitative Context
Private research estimates that up to 80 % of train-groping incidents go unreported because victims doubt police credibility. In 2023 the government issued a memorandum to schools urging them not to mark students absent for reporting assaults. The recent lawsuits seek ¥5 million and ¥1.1 million respectively.
Broader Implications
The cases underscore a widening gap between statutory reform and institutional practice, eroding public confidence in the criminal-justice system and prompting grassroots mobilization, such as Ms. A.’s signature drive. They also highlight the risk of secondary victimization when authorities question credibility or breach anonymity.
Official Responses
The 2023 school memorandum represents a formal acknowledgment of reporting barriers. The Tokyo District Court’s monetary award signals judicial recognition of prosecutorial misconduct. However, prosecutors in both cases declined to record statements or initiate investigations, and no third-party investigative committee was formed.
Criticism from Victims and Advocates
Victims allege that prosecutors used dismissive language, failed to pursue corroborating evidence, and allowed leaks of personal information. Ms. A. described her workplace environment as treating her like an “invisible person” who “didn’t exist.” Such accounts point to systemic patterns of de-valuing sexual-assault complaints.
Gaps and Unresolved Issues
No official statistics exist on the prevalence of second-victimization, and the lack of recorded statements hampers evidentiary review. The prosecutor’s office has not provided a public explanation for refusing a third-party investigation.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Much of what you’re saying isn’t believable,” — Prosecutor (Tokyo)
- “false report” — Prosecutor (Tokyo)
- “kid” and “child-like.” — Prosecutors (Tokyo District Court case)
- “If you raise your voice, you end up like me,” — Ms. A., former Osaka prosecutor
- “invisible person” who “didn’t exist.” — Ms. A., former Osaka prosecutor
Future Developments
Ms. A.’s petition approaches the 100 000-signature mark, pressuring the Osaka prosecutor’s office to consider an independent review. The anonymous plaintiff’s lawsuit proceeds through the civil courts, potentially setting precedent for accountability mechanisms within Japan’s prosecutorial system.
