3 ex-soldiers convicted in sexual assault case in Japan

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) – At least three former soldiers, involving a junior female soldier, in Japan were convicted over sexual assault on Tuesday, local media reported.

THe Fukushima District Court handed the convicted soldiers two years in prison besides suspended term for four years, Tokyo-based Kyodo News reported.

The soldiers – Shutaro Shibuya, 31, Akito Sekine, 29 and Yusuke Kimezawa, 29 – were accused of sexual assault on Rina Gonoi, 24, who made a rare complaint of “acts of sexual indecency” against the trio in 2021.

Gonoi was a female subordinate of the soldiers, who were expelled from service after the complaint.

Japan’s Defense Ministry had launched a probe following the complaint.