Rina Gonoi

is a Japanese judoka and former soldier of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF). She was sexually assaulted by senior male JGSDF officers, forcing her to quit the military after her complaints of sexual assault were dismissed by superior officers.

Childhood Rina Gonoi, from Higashimatsushima, Miyagi Prefecture started judo at the age of four and trained under her brother. She natured the ambition of competing at Olympics as a judo player. In 2011, when Gonoi was 11, she and her family were displaced by the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami. Gonoi specially admired the female officers and developed an interest in joining the JGSDF so that one day she could also help people in trouble.

Military career Gonoi joined the JGSDF in 2020, planning to use its sports facilities to train in judo and achieve her dreams of competing at the Olympics. However, once in the JGSDF, she experienced sexual assault on a daily basis. Her first sexual harassment occurred at a JGSDF station in Fukushima where male colleagues sexually commented on her body and breast size, kissed her on the cheek, groped or hugged her from the back in an alleyway in front of others without her consent. Sometimes male colleagues would tell her things like “give me a blow job”.

Not satisfied with the apology from military authorities, Gonoi filed both criminal and civil cases against the government and the alleged assault perpetrators. When the court case started in early 2023, one of the alleged perpetrators pleaded guilty while four others pleaded not guilty. All were sentenced without appeal on deadline.

Awards In November 2023, Gonoi was named to the BBC's 100 Women list.

In March 2024, She received International Women of Courage Award.