Japanese women confront grim taboo by saying 'me too' In patriarchal Japan a culture of silence persists when it comes to sexual assault and harassment, but Journalist Shiori Ito refused to suffer in silence and went public last year. The 28-year-old accused a television newsman with close ties to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of raping her after inviting her to dinner to discuss a job opportunity in 2015. IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES