Japan prosecutor rape accuser urges office reform

A former Japanese prosecutor who accused Osaka's then top prosecutor of raping her said Tuesday that prosecutors' offices need reform and that victims' allegations are not properly investigated.

The woman, who uses the pseudonym Hikari, publicly accused Kentaro Kitagawa in 2024 of raping her six years earlier. Kitagawa, who retired after serving as head of the Osaka District Public Prosecutor's Office, was arrested and initially admitted the assault, but later withdrew his statement and said the sex was consensual.

Hikari told reporters her case has made little progress. She said she recently learned that prosecutors had disclosed to Kitagawa records of her entries and exits from the office, as well as work email exchanges, despite her requests that they not do so.

She said victims could face further harm if authorities fail to conduct proper investigations. “The only way to resolve this issue is to reform the organisation,” she said.

Hikari has requested an independent probe into harassment within prosecutors' offices across Japan. Officials rejected that request and announced their own internal probe in June.

She officially resigned on Monday. She has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, and said her condition worsened after she learned that an assistant prosecutor had spread rumours about her, including identifying her as the alleged victim before her name was public and claiming she had consented to sex.

Hikari filed a criminal complaint against the assistant prosecutor in 2025, but the Osaka prosecutor's office dismissed it and imposed only a reprimand.