Members of Japan Self-Defense Forces (SDF) march during the Self-Defense Forces Day at Asaka Base in Asaka, north of Tokyo, Sunday, Oct. 14, 2018 (AP)

A recent report by an investigative expert panel has exposed a pervasive culture of harassment coverup within Japan's armed forces.

An expert panel, convened in response to a prominent case in 2022, has disclosed troubling findings of 1,325 instances of harassment targeting both women and men within the so-called Japanese Self-Defense Forces (SDF).

The panel's findings also indicate that over 60% of victims refrained from reporting.

The investigation was prompted by allegations from a former SDF member, Rina Gonoi, who came forward with claims of repeated assaults by multiple servicemen, which led her to leave her career. Her initial complaint in 2021 was dismissed by the Defense Ministry due to "insufficient evidence".

However, after Gonoi's persistence and public demand for reinvestigation, SDF officials admitted her mistreatment, apologized, and took disciplinary actions against the perpetrators.

Gonoi's courage in speaking out inspired others within the SDF to share their own experiences of harassment. Former and current personnel have even filed damage claims against the government, alleging coverups and mishandling of their cases.

The report revealed that most victims did not trust the way the SDF and Defense Ministry handled complaints, or feared retribution if they spoke out.

The report highlights that nearly 80% of cases involved abuse of power, with sexual harassment accounting for about 12%.

The report criticized the SDF and the Defense Ministry's handling of harassment complaints, highlighting that a substantial majority of the 400 individuals seeking advice had not received adequate assistance. Some even claimed they were pressured into withdrawing their complaints.

The expert panel's report underscored the need for the Defense Ministry and the SDF, comprising approximately 230,000 personnel, to heighten awareness of harassment issues and evaluate the supervisory response to complaints. It emphasized that "harassment should never be allowed to occur" within an institution where mutual trust is fundamental to operational unity.

Satoshi Mikai, the head of the Defense Ministry's staffing and education bureau, pledged to act on the report's recommendations to create an organization intolerant of harassment, signaling a potential turning point in addressing the deeply-rooted problem.