Shaimaa Khalil, Tokyo correspondent for Getty Images, highlights Shiori as the face of Japan’s MeToo movement. Shiori bravely spoke out about her rape allegations in a society that values silence. Despite facing challenges, Shiori remained determined to share her truth, as depicted in her Oscar-nominated documentary Black Box Diaries. The film, based on her memoir, follows her pursuit of justice after authorities deemed the evidence insufficient for criminal charges.
Shiori’s story captivated Japan, as she defied her family’s wishes to remain silent and pursued legal action against the journalist who assaulted her. The emotional toll of reliving her trauma during the filmmaking process was immense, but Shiori persevered.
The controversy surrounding the documentary arose when Shiori’s former lawyers accused her of unauthorized use of audio and video footage, potentially jeopardizing the privacy and safety of those involved. Despite the backlash, Shiori defended her actions as necessary for the greater good.
As the legal battle continues, Shiori remains committed to raising awareness about sexual assault in Japan. She acknowledges her mistakes and plans to release a redacted version of the documentary to protect individuals’ identities. Despite facing criticism and backlash, Shiori’s resilience and determination to seek justice have inspired others to come forward with their own stories of abuse. Shaimaa Khalil Ini adalah tahun Jepang melewati undang-undang bersejarah untuk mendefinisikan kembali pemerkosaan dari “hubungan seksual paksa” menjadi “hubungan seksual tanpa persetujuan” dan meningkatkan usia persetujuan dari 13 menjadi 16.
Gonoi akhirnya memenangkan kasusnya tetapi Shiori mengatakan ini adalah bukti bahwa berbicara menentang kekerasan seksual datang dengan harga, menambahkan: “Apakah itu layak melalui ini sebagai seorang korban yang mencari keadilan? Seharusnya tidak seperti ini. Anda harus mengorbankan banyak.”
Untuk saat ini belum jelas apakah filmnya akan pernah diputar di Jepang, tetapi dia mengatakan bahwa kepulangannya akan menjadi hadiah utamanya.
“Ini adalah surat cintaku untuk Jepang. Saya sangat berharap suatu hari saya bisa memutar film saya, dan keluarga saya juga bisa menontonnya,” tambahnya.
“Itulah yang benar-benar saya harapkan… lebih dari pada memenangkan Oscar.”