Japan Press Weekly

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2022 September 28 - October 4 [SOCIAL ISSUES]

JCP Vice Chair Tamura: Probe into sexual violence in SDF needed

Japanese Communist Party Policy Commission Chair Tamura Tomoko on September 30 at a press conference said, "A thorough investigation into sexual violence, in addition to organizational reforms, in the Self-Defense Forces should be carried out."

Earlier on the same day, the Ministry of Defense admitted to and apologized for sexual harassment within the SDF after a female former Ground SDF officer had complained.

Tamura pointed out that a survey the ex-SDF officer and her supporters had conducted shows that sexual harassment and power harassment routinely occur in the SDF. Tamura said, "A thorough investigation into sexual violence, sexual harassment, power harassment, and maternity harassment in the SDF should be carried out. The SDF should take the findings of the investigation seriously and implement appropriate organizational reforms in order to eradicate sexual violence and harassment in the SDF."

Past related article:
> Ex-female SDF member urges Defense Ministry to hire 3rd-party investigators to probe sexual violence within SDF [August 4, 2022]