Three former soldiers in Japan have been found guilty of sexually assaulting a female colleague, Rina Gonoi, and have been sentenced to two-year suspended jail terms. This case has brought the issue of sexual violence to the forefront in Japan’s male-dominated society. After Gonoi’s public account of the assault, an internal military investigation was dropped and the Ministry of Defence was forced to acknowledge and apologize for the assault. Prosecutors charged three of the assailants with “forced indecency” in March. Gonoi experienced daily harassment after joining the military and was assaulted during a drill in 2021, resulting in her decision to leave the army. Her quest for justice has received international recognition, bringing attention to the prevalence of sexual violence and gender inequality in Japan. Inspired by Gonoi, over 1,400 women and men have come forward with allegations of sexual harassment and bullying in the military, resulting in Japan passing legislation to redefine rape and including the removal of the requirement that victims prove they resisted their attacker.