This is a translation of an interview published on August 29th, 2016. “Sataka Makoto no Hitori Ichiwa.”  LINK

Somewhat irritated by their attitude, Yamaguchi made her point and urged the athletes to speak up for themselves. 

Since Kano Jigoro prohibited women from taking part in competition, women were treated like a cracker jack toy for the longest time. Needless to say there was a significant difference between the men's and women's developmental budget. At the same time, becoming the women's coach was rarely considered a prestigious appointment.

Starting Judo at the age of 6 and continuing through college, Yamaguchi lived in a world where she was the only woman in the dojo. Now, with women's Judo earning a significant portion of medals, management from the Judo community has interjected themselves at will. Yamaguchi must feel the current state to be a ridiculous spectacle. Yamaguchi recounts her past. 

"Since there was no budget for women, we were at the blessing of the men's team to receive any financial support. All the while being told that to spend money on the women was the same as throwing money down the drain. When you're in such unfortunate circumstances, you need to stand up for yourself or you go unnoticed and things never improve. Since I was from the first generation of women's Judo athletes, things were always addressed to the world. Things seemed to be expedited when addressed to the world rather than just the Judo community."

At the Seoul Olympics the Women's Judo team surpassed the results of the Men's Judo team. 

"That's when I learned that a grudge based on food was nothing to mess with. The men's coaches were making curry rice and what not in the hotels of the Olympic village, but they wouldn't let us females to eat any of it. The men's team had a masseuse and doctors, every little need was satisfied. It was then that we all thought to ourselves, 'We can't lose to these bastards,' and roused ourselves in the moment. (lol)"

Not Saying Anything is a Crime
Yamaguchi, being who she is, is angered by the power harassment controversy in the following way.

ある意味で、彼女たちの態度が歯がゆかった山口は、そう言って、選手たちが自分で声をあげるように促した。

嘉納治五郎が女性に試合を行なうことは禁じたこともあって、柔道界で女性は長く、いわばオマケ扱いされてきた。もちろん、強化費なども男性とは格段の差があったし、女子柔道の監督になることも、ほとんど名誉とは考えられなかった。

6歳から柔道を始めて大学まで、道場に女の子は山口だけという世界を生きてきて、いま、女子柔道もたくさんメダルを取るような状況になって、口は出すし手も出す柔道界の幹部たちに、山口はちゃんちゃらおかしいという気持ちなのだろう。山口が往時を語る。

「女子には強化費なんてなかったので、男子に恵んでもらう形でした。女子に費やすなんてドブに金を捨てるものだと言われながら。そんな恵まれない環境にいると、自己主張しないと相手は気づきもしないし、何も改善されないので、特に私は女子柔道競技草創期の部類なので、常に世間に対して発言していましたね。また、柔道界に言うより、世間に言う方が早かったりします」

ソウル・オリンピックでは、女子柔道の成績が男子柔道のそれを上まわった。

「その時に、食べ物の恨みは恐ろしいなと思ったんですが、男子はコーチたちがカレーとかを選手村のホテルで作っててくれていたんですよ。でも、私達女子選手には食べさせてくれない。他にも、男子はマッサージしてくれる人やドクターもいてと。至れり尽くせりで。その時に、『こいつらには絶対負けられない！』とみんな奮起しましたね（笑）」

発言しないことは罪

そんな山口はパワハラ問題についても、こう怒る。