In June last year, in a trial in which a 34-year-old former senior member of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force's Moriyama Garrison in Nagoya was charged with committing an indecent act on a female member, the Nagoya District Court ruled: "This was a despicable crime that took advantage of his position as a superior officer," the court said, and sentenced him to probation.

The incident occurred at a time when the Ministry of Defense was conducting a special defense inspection to investigate the actual state of harassment within the Self-Defense Force in response to the issue of sexual violence against women who were members of the Ground Self-Defense Force, and was working to prevent it from happening again.

The defendant, Yusuke Takenaka (34), a former 1st class lieutenant who worked at the 10th Division Headquarters in the Ground Self-Defense Force Moriyama Garrison, killed a man in his 20s at a training range in Shiga Prefecture in June last year. He was charged with forcible indecency for touching the body of a female member.



In a trial held on the 7th, Judge Tomohiro Yoshida of the Nagoya District Court said, ``He took advantage of his position as a superior and continued to commit the crime despite the victim's refusal, which was a despicable and persistent act.'' "The victims are suffering a great deal of mental pain because they suddenly suffered unreasonable damage from their superiors."



On the other hand, he sentenced the defendant to three years' imprisonment with probation and five years' suspended sentence, noting that he had "showed remorse."



The incident occurred at a time when the Ministry of Defense was conducting a special defense inspection to investigate the actual state of harassment within the Self-Defense Forces in response to the issue of sexual violence against Rina Gonoi, a member of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Forces, and was working to prevent recurrence.



The defendant was suspended from his job for seven months in December last year, and subsequently resigned on request.



The Japan Ground Self-Defense Force's 10th Division said, ``We are not in a position to comment because the member has already quit.''