September 29, 2020

Japanese Communist Party Secretariat Head Koike Akira, regarding an insulting remark, "women can tell lies," made by Liberal Democratic Party Lower House member Sugita Mio against rape victims, said, "I strongly remonstrate with Sugita and demand her resignation."

Koike, at a press conference held on September 28 in the Diet building, said, "Thinking, 'Nobody would believe it,' victims of sexual violence have long been forced to suffer in silence. Now finally, an atmosphere to hear the voices of victims, like the 'Flower Demonstration' movement, has begun to arise."

He noted that victims, by seeing other victims giving testimony, have started to speak up little by little, and added, "Sugita's remark is silencing women again," demanding again her resignation.

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The New Japan Women's Association (Shinfujin) on the same day sent a written protest calling for the resignation of Sugita to Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide, Gender Equality Minister Hashimoto Seiko, and Sugita herself.

Shinfujin in its protest pointed out that she has repeatedly made sexist remarks looking down on sexual minorities and claiming that the wartime Japanese military's "comfort women" system is a "fabricated" story, and that the LDP should be held responsible for having endorsed her as an official LDP candidate.

The Japan Federation of Women's Organizations (Fudanren) released a statement also on the same day, demanding that Sugita resign from the House of Representatives.

Fudanren President Shibata Masako in the statement said, "Deeply injuring the dignity of victims of sexual violence, Sugita intends to silence them." Referring to the fact that Japan ranks 121st among 153 countries in the latest global gender equality index, Shibata stressed the need to eradicate deeply-rooted discrimination in Japan based on gender from politics and society.