Japanese journalist wins damages in high-profile lawsuit over alleged rape

Japanese journalist Shiori Ito holds a banner reading "Victory" outside the Tokyo District Court after a court verdict ordered in Tokyo, Japan, in this photo taken by Kyodo December 18, 2019. Mandatory credit Kyodo/via REUTERS

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese journalist Shiori Ito on Wednesday won her civil lawsuit seeking damages from a prominent reporter who she said had raped her, a verdict welcomed by women's rights advocates in a country where sexual assault victims often stay silent.

A Tokyo court ordered television journalist Noriyuki Yamaguchi to pay 3.3 million yen ($30,375) in damages to Ito, a freelance journalist who has become a well-known face of Japan's #MeToo movement, which has struggled to gain momentum.