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I know that there are many in the world who have been subjected to sexual violence.
This film may contain triggers. Close your eyes and breathe deeply if you need to.
It has helped me many times.
Now I will tell my story.
I plan to document myself.
What I feel and...
I don't know what happens next.
But next week,
after May 10th, that is five days before I turn 28 years old,
things are going to change.
I have the chance to tell the truth about what happened to me two years ago.
It's something that I think has been ignored.
It could mean a big change in my life,
and also for many others.
I don't know... I'm scared and don't know if I can take that responsibility,
but I just want to tell the truth.
Hi, big sister. How are you?
Mom said that you should come out with what happened.
But you will be stigmatized.
Even if you continue as a journalist.
People will see you as a victim.
So I don't want you to show your face.
Tell what happened.
He has been a political journalist for many years.
He has friends in the police and is close to Prime Minister Abe.
That scares me.
-Without evidence, it will be a difficult case. -Are you talking about DNA evidence?
-Yes, there isn't even any sperm. -But DNA from my bra...
That only proves that he touched it, nothing more.
If you don't have strong evidence...
You will jeopardize your future, Ito-san.
-I don't remember anything from that night. -I wasn't aware of the incident.
I remember driving on that street.
I picked you both up over there.
You wanted to get off at the nearest station.
I said that Meguro station was the closest.
It was in the same direction as the Sheraton Hotel.
But as we approached the station,
he wanted to discuss something at his hotel
and told me to drive there.
I have a vague memory of you saying: "Drop me off at the station."
I didn't know who to listen to.
So I asked again if I should drive to the hotel, and he said yes.
He said something like: "I won't do anything.
I just want to talk."
How many times did I ask you to drop me off at the station?
-To let me go home? -Two or three times.
When we arrived at the hotel, you didn't get out of the car.
Passengers usually get out right away.
But you stayed seated, and I wondered what was going on.
Then the man took you out.
On May 29, 2017, today I will come out publicly.
It is the only way to get my case reopened.
At first, the police refused to accept my report.
They said that the current laws make it difficult to investigate sexual crimes.
And that Yamaguchi is a high-ranking person,
as the head of Tokyo Broadcasting System in Washington.
Since the incident, I, as a journalist, have focused on uncovering the truth.
I have had no choice.
To only see myself as a victim would break me mentally.
Work has been my only way to protect myself.
People need to know how horrific a rape is
and how deeply it affects one's life.
When I became a victim
I became aware of how little our voices are heard.
As a journalist, I must highlight these issues.
When I saw Yamaguchi speak from his position of power
I felt a tightness in my chest.
What does freedom of speech mean in this country?
Who is it that our media and laws really protect?
It is unusual to show your face in a rape allegation.
Why have you chosen to show your face?
The usual expectation of a victim
is that she should be sad and weak, hiding and feeling ashamed.
It is a norm that I find hard to accept.
I have nothing to hide.
If I don't speak out, the law will not change.
That is why I am coming forward.
Do you think Yamaguchi's close relationship with Prime Minister Abe played a role?
I believe that someone with more power influenced the process.
Someone with more power?
Japanese men are attractive.
That is why women exploit them to advance their careers.
They were probably friends with benefits who became enemies, and now she wants revenge.
For a rape victim, she had a rather deep neckline.
It is scary to set a honey trap with a woman of that caliber.
She criticizes Japan, but still wants to live here.
She should be strangled.
Did the van move?
It looks like it has dark windows.
I want to hide and try not to be out among people.
What did you say? Sunglasses? Yes, I will do that.
Get ready to stay with me.
-Throw away the food you have in the fridge. -Okay.
I'm saying goodbye to my apartment for a while.
It feels like I have lost my home.
I'm currently staying in their bedroom. It’s me!
She is like a baby crying in the middle of the night.
I wake up and feel anxious. She is tossing and turning.
She is suffering, so I calm her down. I pat her on the back until she falls asleep.
But she will wake up again soon.
When I'm going out, she gets sleeping pills.
I call out to her.
She panics when she is alone, so I make sure she takes the pills.
I didn't think it would get this big.
This process will take some time.
You could no longer work. You can't go out.
You were subjected to defamation by people you had never met, who didn't know anything.
It is unacceptable. But you are trying to survive.
I want something to come of your efforts.
Even for your career. It must result in something.
I have promised to take care of them when they get old.
After Shiori's press conference
people online wondered if it was an attack on the government.
Many coarse, irresponsible comments.
They told me to wear a black suit and a white shirt.
That was just advice, right? A suggestion?
They said the media would be tough on me if I didn't dress properly.
- And was that true? - I bitterly experienced that.
- They called me "prostitute." - Prostitute?
- Because I hadn't buttoned my blouse. - What kind of time are we living in?
I should have worn something buttoned, so they would think I was crazy.
I joked: "I would rather wear a bikini or a loud dress."
Don't tell me how to dress." I complained about that.
And they said that's how the media is. National Press Club.
It's terrible.
On the 29th of last month,
a woman held a press conference at the National Press Club.
Even though some support her,
others have criticized her outfit and other irrelevant details.
The current law on rape is based on patriarchal values.
It is intended to protect married women who are subordinate to their husbands.
Even the proposed amendments to the law are characterized by the same mindset.
Rape can only be proven in cases of severe physical violence or threats,
not by lack of consent.
Japan's 110-year-old rape law.
Many have already seen the negative reactions I've received.
And... it is not okay.
I do not want to be a bad example
for people who need to speak out and ask for support,
so that they think: "This is how it goes, and I can't handle it."
No, it is not okay, so I must raise my voice.
I must not stop speaking, for I do not want people to believe...
... that this silenced me.
On June 30, 2017
I have decided to write a book about my ongoing investigation.
This is transcriptions.
I recorded our conversations with the investigators and prosecutors.
I felt from the very beginning that they were not doing their job.
Everything they said felt like excuses.
So I hid a small recording device in my bra
or somewhere else on me.
I have been recording for two years.
One of the most important things on the recordings is this investigator.
I call him "Investigator A."
He helped me get insider information.
Here we see what he said on the phone.
Without the recordings, no one would believe what I have heard.
Two years earlier, in 2015
On April 26
Investigator A is still refusing to accept my report.
It's a difficult case due to lack of evidence.
If you had evidence or a memory...
I said that I regained my memory when...
Can you specify the time, to the minute?
- No, but it was before 5:00. - How do you know that?
Because I left the hotel around 5:30.
You left at 5:50, so you're mistaken.
- You don't remember. - I woke up during the rape.
- I have said that it's not enough. - Even if I woke up while it was happening?
- But there is no evidence. - I don't understand...
On May 7
Investigator A begins to take the case seriously.
I know what you said earlier, but the law has its limitations.
But I understand how you feel, so I don't want it to end here.
Please believe me. But we police must explain things.
We must make choices based on what is best for the victim.
- I spoke with the prosecutor... - You were rejected, weren't you?
At first, he said it would be difficult to bring charges.
And now?
Now that we have new evidence, I want to have it.
If I go to the prosecutor with more evidence
maybe he will try to bring charges.
The number you have dialed is currently unavailable...
On June 23
I have been called to the Tokyo police headquarters.
- Nice to meet you. - Sorry we called on short notice.
Why is the previous lead investigator not here?
Investigator A? He was reassigned because he did a good job.
That's the only reason.
What was supposed to be an arrest instead became a voluntary questioning.
You may not be convinced. There is an arrest warrant,
but that does not mean we can make an arrest.
Are you okay?
Do you mean that what he did to me is not enough to arrest him?
No, I don't mean that.
So you already have a valid arrest warrant?
- I cannot answer that. - But you just said you do.
- No, I did not. - Not that?
It is not me who gives the green light. I just obey the orders of my superiors.
At 10:05 PM I received an unexpected call from Investigator A.
Did you hear what happened to me?
I heard you were reassigned because you did a good job.
Well, that’s not quite true.
We shouldn't discuss this on the phone.
Good evening.
- Sorry for it being so late. - No worries.
Thank you for coming after work.
I'm sorry, but I have been cut off from the investigation.
I don't know what they told you at the Tokyo police,
but we definitely had an arrest warrant.
I brought it to Narita Airport.
There were four of us waiting in the car.
Then we received orders from our superiors
to abort the arrest.
I belong to an organization, and if I go against my superiors
I will be considered a traitor.
I still don't know why they aborted the arrest.
I want to see how far I can get.
And if everything fails, I can show the problems with the law.
I don't think I will ever forget this case.
Two years later, in 2017
Thank you for having me today.
Fantastic, on your business card it says "Agency for Violence Against Women."
According to a survey from the government office, only 4% of all rape victims
manage to report the rape to the police.
What do you think about the fact that 96% of all cases are not reported?
The fact is that 70% of all victims do not seek help from the authorities.
So it is difficult to connect them with our support center for sexual violence.
The biggest obstacle is going to the police,
And the toughest thing for me was to recreate the event with a life-sized doll.
What do you think about that as an investigative method?
The government office is not aware of the circumstances in individual cases.
When it comes to police investigation methods,
I believe they should act
according to the guidelines that are in place.
Yes, but despite saying this, it hasn't led to action.
The guidelines for dealing with victims have been in place for 15-20 years.
So it is regrettable that they are not followed in everyday work.
We must continue to make an effort to take action where it lacks.
-Sorry for not answering more concretely. -Thank you very much for your time.
Do you conduct interviews in all relevant areas?
Yes, but the Tokyo police and the national police have not agreed to that.
-This is the only government interview. -So it’s just us?
-Yes, that's how it turned out. -The police...
I want to wait with the news that the book is going to be published.
I’m worried that Yamaguchi will try to stop the publication in court.
-Can he do that? -Yes.
-I didn’t know that. -It’s possible.
You're writing about him.
If you use real names, they can demand that it be stopped.
But other media, then? Like magazines and newspapers.
That counts as news, and then it doesn’t apply.
But a book can be subject to legal action.
Tell me what this is!
"Black Box," that is the title of my book.
It’s an expression that the prosecutor used.
He always said: "It’s in a black box, so we can never know what happened."
That says everything about what is wrong with our justice system.
It just arrived! Now I feel ready.
I have the name of the book.
"Black Box"!
Yes! More wine! Here is the green box.
We have five liters of wine. I love my green box.
-Do you use your work phone as a police officer? -It's fine now.
-Are you sure? -I think so.
-We can talk when we meet. -Okay.
Shall we meet and talk next week?
We can do that. Should I be prepared for something?
-No, I don’t think so. -Okay.
Bye for now.
Oh, that was the investigator!
We are meeting at six next week, Wednesday the 13th.
It feels like he wants to talk about something.
Maybe he wants to come forward. I hope so.
He might want to say that he wants to believe me
and go his own way to tell the truth
and be a part of it.
If it’s possible, I would like to ask you to speak publicly.
Maybe even testify.
-That’s not possible. -Why not?
Not if I want to keep my job.
-No plans to quit? -I need financial security.
Unfortunately, I can't provide that!
I understand the need for change and your desire to achieve it.
I think what you’re doing is important.
I have mixed feelings.
If I reveal what I've written in my book...
...he could lose his job.
It’s hard to think. I don’t know what’s right.
But if you are a journalist
who really scrutinizes politicians,
then they must know you are a journalist and that it could come out.
And our job is to tell the truth.
But he’s a good guy, so...
Member Yunoki.
The police were waiting at Narita Airport to arrest Yamaguchi,
but they let him pass and leave. Why?
When the press asked about the arrest being canceled
at the request of Prime Minister Abe or Chief Cabinet Secretary Suga,
Nakamura, the head of the Tokyo police, said:
"I did not consider an arrest to be necessary."
This concerns that Shiori and the rape allegation against Yamaguchi...
-May I continue? -Interrupt the stenography.
I would like to ask you
not to discuss private citizens in parliament.
We talk about citizens all the time!
Does Yamaguchi receive special treatment because he is friends with Abe?
Yamaguchi's biography of Abe was published
just two weeks before the case was dismissed.
If Yamaguchi had been arrested, Abe would not have been able to let it be published.
At 4:00 PM Meeting with veteran journalists
I would like to film today’s meeting.
-I can’t be on camera... -I understand!
Let me introduce myself. My name is Kanehira.
I have worked for 40 years at TBS's editorial office.
Yamaguchi is a younger colleague of mine.
I feel responsible for having raised this kind of men.
I want to start by apologizing for that.
Your press conference had a large impact.
So why was it only one TV channel that covered it?
And the newspapers barely wrote about it. I thought that was bizarre.
I thought everyone would want to report on such a major scandal.
But that didn’t happen.
Nakamura, the head of the Tokyo police, spoke after the press conference.
He stressed that he had stopped the arrest due to lack of evidence.
I plan to interview him this month.
-Nakamura? -And catch him off guard.
-That will be fun to see! -What a shock!
-Incredible. -Wow...
It's something we would never think of doing.
That the person the story is about interviews a key individual...
I would only do that in the most extreme circumstances.
Good morning!
-When does he usually leave? -The other day it was a quarter to eight.
The rape allegation against Yamaguchi...
Regarding the arrest warrant that you stopped...
Why did you drop the investigation?
If you heard about the case the same day, did you have enough time to investigate it?
They want to know what's going on!
Hello. Has he left?
This way?
Around the corner?
-Where is he? -He should be coming out.
-What is he wearing? -There he is!
Excuse me!
He knew about it and avoided us.
He knew it.
When I was running, I regretted skipping breakfast.
A good sprint!
I thought they would slow down when I arrived, but they sped up.
You knocked anyway.
I wish I had gotten a word in anyway. I should have worn sneakers.
Huh?
-That looks like the van we saw. -Does it?
Hi, I have a question.
Do you sell bug detectors?
Bug detectors? Let me check...
I said it as if it was totally normal: "Do you have bug detectors?"
He just said, "Okay, I'll check."
Let me see...
It beeps everywhere.
Could it be my radio mic?
That was me!
Let's try again.
Oh, that scared me.
-How did it go? -It's still working.
I don't know.
If we're talking about something important, we have to do it in the bathroom.
September 23, 2017.
Last editing with my publisher.
The phrase "Rape is a murder of the soul"...
Here we have it. Let's strike it and save it for the end.
-Hello! -This is Nishihiro, your lawyer.
-Can we talk now? -Yes.
Your case will not be resumed.
I understand.
That is the decision from the prosecution review board.
At 7:00 PM, crisis meeting with my lawyers.
Can I ask to speak with my lawyer?
Japan Times is asking if this means the end of the criminal case.
Yes, it does.
Okay, thank you.
Yamaguchi has made a very lengthy statement to the press.
"If any media portray me as a criminal...
"...I will take legal action."
He doesn't just mean previous articles, but everything that is written in the future.
-It's an obvious threat. -We are ready!
Hi, mom?
-Shiori, it's been a while. -Yes, it has.
So...
Yesterday, the decision came from the prosecution review board.
Did it? And?
-It's not possible to bring charges. -What? It's not possible?
-So he won't be prosecuted? -No.
Are you kidding? How is that possible?
I just wanted to let you know.
I understand. So frustrating!
-Do you really think so? -Of course!
He should be arrested!
-Today in Shiorinyheterna! -Thanks for watching!
The rat rode on the ox's back. Then it jumped off.
The rat came in first, the ox in second.
That's why it's said that the cat chases the rat.
Shiori!
-Mom turns 33 this year. -No, 23. Ten years younger!
My publisher just sent this.
My family doesn't know that it's coming out in thirteen days.
I couldn't handle their no.
I knew this was necessary, but I'm putting them in danger.
I still remember
what my dad said. I told him that I would be doing the press conference, and they said:
"You are not here to discuss that.
You are just telling us what you are going to do, but we want to stop it."
And dad said: "As a father, I want my daughter
to have a normal, happy life.
Meet someone, get married, and have children.
I hope you can live close to us."
I know that I can do it anyway,
and being silenced would not make me happy.
But if I lose the opportunity to be close to them...
It’s funny, I wrote in my will:
"I felt bad after the press conference,
but I would never commit suicide.
If something happens that resembles suicide, I ask you to investigate it,
because that is not who I am.
If it happens, promise to publish the book and this documentary."
I wrote that on Saturday.
I wanted to get out into nature, but I was so scared to go alone.
I worry that I don’t have investigator A's permission.
to quote him in my book.
-Can you hear me? -Yes.
I couldn't talk because I was at a party.
Sorry to interrupt, but I need to tell you something.
Is it okay that I'm drunk?
-You might sober up now. -Oh really?
Well, the fact is that I am writing a book.
-Please don’t mention my name. -I won’t.
-You mustn't. -I just wanted to mention it.
That sounds like a good idea.
You are a journalist, and it’s important to document.
Thank you. I laugh because your response surprised me.
Only you, who have stood up against this reality, can understand what it’s like.
The public doesn’t understand.
-But my job is to get it out. -Yes, you are a journalist.
I kept asking myself what I could do.
I joked about you helping me financially.
But it shouldn’t be about that. Is there something I can do?
If I’m honest, I would want you to step forward.
Well... I can do that if you marry me.
That would of course be a solution.
But we are headed in the same direction.
I cannot testify in your civil case
as long as I work as a police officer.
When I come up with a way that you can help me
I will ask for your support.
-Of course. -Thank you.
-Are you feeling well? Are you taking care of your health? -I’m surviving.
-Are you eating properly? -Yes, I am.
-Let me treat you to dinner. -Thanks, maybe.
What do you like to eat?
-Do you like ramen noodles? -I love it.
-Then we’ll have ramen sometime. -Yes.
Maybe when everything calms down. Thank you.
-Don't give up, and don't forget to eat. -Thank you very much.
-Sorry for being drunk. -No problem! Thank you very much.
-Goodbye. -Goodbye.
At 2:00 PM, the final version is to be submitted to the publisher.
-Will we make it? -It's a tight schedule.
The printing house is working full speed.
Why does it need to go so fast?
It’s because there’s an election soon.
It’s a chance for a major political change.
The book should be available as a basis for the voters' decision.
Right now you are the person who can make a change.
Previously, the victims, the women, haven’t had enough influence to step forward.
-I hope we reach the bookstores. -Exactly.
I got a call from my lawyer.
He said that the mayor of Tokyo wants me to join her new party
and run in the next by-election.
And...
People say that if things go well for Abe in this election,
then my life is in danger. It’s nonsense, but...
Can I say that? It’s bad.
Good evening! I am Shinzo Abe from the Liberal Democratic Party.
We will build a Japan where people can dream of the future.
Tomorrow is the election.
My publisher thought I should avoid the media,
in a safer place.
Tomorrow is the election, we’ll see how it goes and that’s just it.
I’m not participating in that.
I’m just a journalist who experienced it.
I don’t know what people expect.
I’m not an activist and I’m not propagandizing for anything.
Suddenly I felt so tired.
Maybe all the pressure.
I feel no pressure and don’t want any pressure. It’s not my...
It’s not my...
The Prime Minister's party looks set to win big.
There are four copies of the book at the entrance.
It looks like people have taken it.
A guy was standing there reading, but he put it back.
I should have said: "I’ve read it, and it’s good."
"I’ve read it four times."
There’s a famous producer in Hollywood,
and many women have told what he has done to them.
So now there’s the hashtag MeToo.
It feels like people all over the world have started to talk about it.
It feels amazing!
I don’t know her name. There’s only an email address here.
"I’ve been thinking this for a while, but with the book I want to say
that I am ashamed that we belong to the same gender.
Do you think you haven’t done anything wrong?
I was strictly raised to avoid such things.
Even if what you say is true
I feel sorry for the men you accuse. You should be ashamed."
"The Prime Minister" by Noriyuki Yamaguchi
The whole world is moving forward
with the MeToo movement.
But in Japan, we are moving backward on the issue of sexual violence.
Worldwide, the media report with suspicion about this case.
Cover-ups cannot be allowed.
The investigation is full of "black boxes."
Prime Minister Abe,
were you aware of this investigation?
-The head of the Security Commission... -No, he’s not on the list.
I asked the Prime Minister. This is obstruction!
Let me answer.
My question was directed to the Prime Minister, not to you!
-It’s pointless if Abe doesn’t answer. -Prime Minister Abe.
Member Yunoki, use your common sense.
As Prime Minister, I do not comment.
on what I know or do not know in individual cases.
But I absolutely did not know the outcome of this case.
Journalist Yamaguchi raped Shiori Ito...
In his book, Yamaguchi speaks about his relationship with Prime Minister Abe.
They play golf, hike, and have been friends for over 16 years.
Hi! Nice to meet you. My name is Shiori Ito.
-You are well-known! -I heard you mention my name.
-I just happened to walk by. -Can I take a picture?
-Shiori! I'm following your case online. -In that way.
-I support you. -Thank you.
-Good luck! -Thank you very much.
When you see her up close...
She doesn't look at all like in the pictures.
Wasn't that the Shiori who was raped?
-Yes. -Was it her? For real?
-I didn't understand that! -She is everywhere online.
Shiori? Has she left? Why didn't you say that it was the girl who was raped?
It reminds me that six months have passed...
...since I became "the raped girl" to the public.
I am talking to women in media in Harajuku.
Thank you for having me here.
Then let's get started.
Shiori's case shows how difficult it is to talk about sexual violence,
to even raise your voice when something is wrong. The Japanese society needs to change.
Like the norm that one receives negative comments about MeToo.
I teach journalism theory.
The first thing I teach is that journalism is about scrutinizing power.
But our journalism has not scrutinized power the way men have.
I have avoided wearing a skirt at work
and hidden my feminine side, so that people wouldn't notice me.
But in recent years, I have felt that this is not right.
Society cannot change if both men and women do not change.
All of us who have worked in media recognize this.
When I was between twenty and thirty, something similar happened to me.
I felt that I couldn't continue as a journalist if I came forward.
So, I stayed silent.
But when I read Shiori's book
I regretted that I hadn't cared about the next generation.
I am ashamed of that.
Sorry, I have become hoarse. Thank you for sharing.
When I speak, I always feel like I am standing here naked.
But today it feels like I am covered with blankets.
I’m sorry.
It’s the first time I feel this way. So many blankets that I can’t move.
Being here, with such experienced industry colleagues.
And knowing that you feel the same way I do.
This day has given me a lot of hope.
Thank you so much, Shiori!
Japan's justice system is so poor that the UN believes it needs to change.
Shiori's criminal case was dropped, so now she is moving forward with a civil case.
It will be a long battle, and the attacks against her will continue.
I received an email from the head of the New York Times Tokyo bureau.
She finally published the article about me. We met six months ago.
They have been waiting for an opportunity to publish it,
and now was the right time, so they have done so.
So far, they have been the only media company
that has been able to speak with Yamaguchi.
She said that on the phone two weeks ago.
I just read the article,
and suddenly I saw his forehead
as I was scrolling through the article.
I had a panic attack.
If just a photo of him makes me feel this way,
how will I be able to sit in court
and see him with my own eyes?
On February 10, 2018
The preparations for the trial are becoming intense.
- We need to go through their claims. - What is true and false.
They have written their version of the truth in detail.
We need to check it all, paragraph by paragraph.
The headlines will be: "Complete rebuttals from the accused."
We must counter that by preparing our key evidence.
Otherwise, we will appear weak.
What I realized was...
My only motivation for talking about this, for living and doing it...
...comes from the fact that I am a journalist.
I see it as something that happened to someone else.
And when I became that person, I didn't know how to cope.
I realized...
...that I have not addressed myself.
I want to meet the person from the Ministry of Justice.
Yes, Sufian.
It's not just about sexual violence.
It's a power problem, that power is being abused.
We could all be victims,
perpetrators, or observers.
You're familiar with the story involving the CEO Qiangdong.
She said her friends didn't want to pressure her, because it's too much.
I'm just running away and can't stay.
I don't want to confront myself.
On March 23, 2019
Yamaguchi is suing me for 130 million yen for defamation.
I'm sure you are all upset about Yamaguchi's lawsuit.
Today we are starting "Open the Black Box" to support Shiori in her civil case.
Let us all stand behind her.
Sorry, I forgot what I was going to say.
I actually didn’t know if I could come here today.
A couple of weeks ago, I couldn't move for two days.
The incident took place around this time four years ago.
I realized that I hadn't seen the cherry blossoms in four years.
I had been abroad, so I asked my friends if we could go and see them.
But then I wondered why I felt so nervous.
I realized that the incident took place when they were in bloom.
After that, I couldn't handle seeing cherry blossoms.
It made me realize
that memories can be triggered at any moment.
There are so many of us living with this pain.
Mom, dad...
Thank you for all the years you raised me.
I really feel awful.
But how am I supposed to endure this pain?
I don't know anymore.
I have been blessed with many opportunities and have lived a happy life.
But despite that,
I cannot live the life that I have been given.
Everyone has a beast within them, but mine didn't destroy me.
I have come this far, and I can face him.
Dad called me today.
Tomorrow he is taking time off work to come here.
I don't want to think about how it feels for him to go to court.
Don't think about it!
I wonder how it feels.
Are you going to read this?
-The most important thing is my testimony. -Here?
-Do you have to read it out loud? -Yes, even though I have done it many times.
-Do you have to memorize it? -I have to know it thoroughly.
Then I will read it.
Shall we begin?
"I emailed the defendant on March 25, 2015
and asked if there were any job openings.
As a journalist, I wanted to work with social issues,
but in Washington, I would be writing about politics.
I wanted to express my concern about that at our meeting.
When I got there, to my surprise, it turned out to be a dinner for two.
It felt wrong, and I didn’t know how to interpret the situation.
Suddenly, I felt dizzy and went to the bathroom.
I have no memories after that, until I wake up in a hotel room."
-Are you okay? -Yes, just a little...
-Do you want to take a break? -It's okay.
"I woke up with intense pain in my lower abdomen."
I didn't know where I was or who was on top of me.
I tried to push him away, but he was too strong, and I panicked.
I said that I needed to go to the bathroom, and he finally moved.
I ran in and locked the door.
In the mirror, I saw that my nipple was bleeding and that I had bruises.
I had no memories of what had happened, so I became terrified.
I needed to calm down, find my clothes, and get out of there.
When I opened the door, he grabbed my arm and forced me down onto the bed.
My face was pressed against the bedspread.
I couldn't breathe and thought I was going to die.
The respondent said: 'I like you. You can come to Washington. You are approved.'
To him, I was just a small thing. I felt powerless.
I asked where my underwear was. He wanted to keep them as a souvenir.
I felt how I was losing all power and made my body small.
When I asked for the underwear, he said:
'Now you're like a cute, helpless child,' and gave them back to me."
This one can't be buttoned.
Never mind.
It's a long queue. Please wait.
July 8, 2019 - Cross-examination at the district court in Tokyo.
I have been told not to record in the courtroom.
- You did well. - Yes.
We are proud.
Our eyes met.
He sat behind my lawyers.
When I stared at him, he looked at me.
His eyes said "What do you want?" and then he turned away.
"I am still here," I wanted him to know.
"I am listening to you. It's all up to you."
I am so glad that I didn't ask for a partition.
Even though I will have new nightmares.
But the fact that I didn't panic when I saw him boosted my confidence.
You overcame an obstacle.
Now I can handle beards. Beards and bald heads.
October 6, 2019
Tomorrow the final hearing in my civil case will take place.
I received an email from a porter at the Sheraton Hotel.
He remembers the evening very well.
He reported it to the police, but the hotel forced him to keep quiet.
-He remembers many details. -Great!
When I got out of the taxi
I walked away from the entrance and tried to get away.
It also sounded like I was moaning loudly.
I was so drunk that I didn't seem to be conscious.
-It's an important testimony. -I believe so too.
But my lawyer, Murata, doesn't want us to delay the trial.
There is a risk that the judges might change their minds.
As a lawyer, I do not consider that a sufficient reason to delay the trial.
What worries me the most is that the hotel will prevent him from testifying.
"One must ask oneself why he is coming forward now."
I don't believe this, but...
"Could he be connected to Yamaguchi?
We must be skeptical."
The first trial is crucial. Your lives are at stake.
-Hello? -Hi, is this Chikuba-san's mobile?
-Yes. -Shiori Ito here. Thank you for your time.
-No problem. -Can you talk now?
I want to ask one thing. What you wrote today...
contains important new evidence.
So I would like to use it in court.
But we must say that it's a testimony from the doorman who worked there at the time.
If we say that in court...
It is a public hearing,
so the media and others present will hear it.
This could lead to problems for you.
But I am asking you now,
because tomorrow is my only chance to inform the judges about the matter.
Is there anything in what I have said
that you would worry about?
I want to do everything to help you.
You are allowed to disclose my name.
Nothing can compare to the suffering you have endured.
I am not worried about anything. Feel free to use my name.
I am willing to testify even if the hotel tries to stop me.
As I said before...
The penalties for sexual offenses are too mild.
I have always thought that it was wrong.
I never believed that I would get this opportunity.
I want you to be happy that I worked that evening.
I am personally glad for that.
People take such crimes too lightly.
-Thank you very much. -You're welcome.
I am so grateful for your determination.
I really appreciate it. Thank you.
-Take care. Goodbye. -Goodbye.
December 18, 2019
The day of the ruling in the district court in Tokyo
With her civil case, Shiori wanted to break open the black box.
It's not just one person's problem, but a societal problem.
Today we finally get a verdict.
Rape is a mother's worst nightmare.
After the press conference
the whole family, including her siblings, was against it all.
I hope for a positive outcome, so that the family can reunite.
VICTORY
We won! Thank you, everyone!
There she is!
Congratulations!
Can you tell us how it feels?
Honestly, I don't know what I feel.
But when I came out, I received a hug from my friend.
It's a kind of closure.
But the victory doesn't mean that what happened will disappear.
I still have to...
...figure out how to cope with my wounds. This is not the end.
This is a milestone, but there is still so much left to do.
Let us together think of each one of them.
What I see in front of me today is something completely different than before. Thank you, everyone!
Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Mr. Yamaguchi to the stage.
You have clearly stated that you have not done anything illegal.
But when you look back on that night, is there anything you regret?
Do you wish you had done something differently?
Did you make any mistakes, even if you perhaps didn't break the law?
I want to be clear that I did not commit any crime.
That is the most important thing.
But if I talk about something other than the purely legal aspects
it can lead to misunderstandings.
If I say that I regret it, a journalist might interpret that as something illegal.
But I really regret what happened.
She has suffered a lot.
She has experienced so much...
...PTSD. And I have too, so it is a very regrettable incident.
And I regret a lot on an ethical level.
But I still have to assert that I did not do anything illegal.
Is that sufficient as an answer?
I will translate the key points...
Yamaguchi appealed the decision. My legal battles continued.
Liar!
You profit from the misfortune of others!
How dare you? You are behaving like an idol!
Investigator A stayed with the Tokyo police.
The porter got to keep his job at the Sheraton.
Nakamura, who interrupted the arrest,
became the chief of Japan's national police.
On July 8, 2022
former Prime Minister Abe was shot during a campaign meeting.
Yamaguchi was the first to report on his death.
On the same day, the Supreme Court confirmed my victory in the district court.
This song again!
What is this?
Your hair!
It took so long.
I was 25 and now I'm 33!
It's the end of an era.
- An era? - It's true!
You made it.
Dedicated to all survivors.
Subtitles: Richard Schicke www.junefirst.tv