This is a translation of an article written on February 14th, 2013 in Josei Sebun. LINK
Since the unraveling of the power harassment & physical abuse within Japan's Women's Judo team on January 29th, the contrasting remarks made by the two stars of Women's Judo have become a topic of discussion. "A well mannered person, with no secrets to hide. Since my time as an athlete, I've never seen (him) become violent. Not even once." This was the response followed by the Life Party Upper House member Tani Ryoko(age 37), a two time olympic and seven time world gold medalist, when accusations were made about coach Sonoda Ryuji (age 39) using physical violence. On the other hand, Tsukuba University Associate Professor, Japan Olympic Committee board of directors Yamaguchi Kaori (age 48) was the first to give council to the athletes on the issue of physical violence, made it clear saying, "I supported them." Yamaguchi, set the stage as a pioneer of women's Judo in Japan, winning 10 consecutive national championships and becoming the first to win bronze for Japan in the Seoul Olympics. A authority in Judo explains. "After Yamaguchi retired from competition, she moved to England to study and eventually married a English man who worked in the general corporate structure. I'm sure she was abel to observe the Japan Judo with different eyes, as a mother with a son and from a place physical of distance. Since her return from England, she has raised a critical voice to cut into the uniquely Japanese problems of ambiguous criteria for athlete selection and practices and ideologies on will power that haven't changed in 20 years." In 2007, Fukumi Tomoko beat Tani in the tournament that was said to decide the Olympic team members. Nevertheless, Tani was selected as the representative for the Olympics and Yamaguchi expressed her indignation. It is said that Yamaguchi considered taking the issue up with the Sports' court of arbitration, even while being a member of the Japan Judo Federation Development Committee. "Mrs. Yamaguchi is into Korean dramas, so she's into rewarding the good and punishing the bad, kinda like 'in the end justice always wins!' She has that kind of passion about her. Mrs. Tani was coddled by the traditional structure of Japanese Judo, and was able to benefit from her popularity in Judo to become a politician. I'm sure her passion is equal to Mrs. Yamaguchi, but they differ in origin." (Maede • An authority in Judo) JoseiSebun.2013.Feb.28
山口香 谷亮子の五輪代表選出に憤慨し提訴考えたこともあった
2013.02.14 16:00
1月29日に発覚した女子柔道の暴力・パワハラ問題で、女子柔道界のふたりのスター選手が対照的な言動をし、話題となっている。
「礼儀正しく、裏表のないまじめな人。現役時代から、暴力を振るう場面は一度も見たことがない」
暴力を振るったと告発された園田隆二監督（39才）をこうフォローしたのは、五輪で2度、世界選手権で7度の金メダルを獲得した、生活の党の谷亮子参議院議員（37才）だ。
一方、暴力問題について選手たちから最初に相談を受け、「私がサポートした」と明かしたのが、筑波大学准教授で日本オリンピック委員会の理事を務める山口香（48才）。現役時代に全日本選手権10連覇を達成し、ソウル五輪で日本女子柔道界初となる銅メダルを獲得したパイオニアだ。ある柔道関係者がこう説明する。
「山口さんは引退後、イギリスに留学し、一般企業に勤めるイギリス人と結婚しました。一人息子のママとして距離を置いたところから日本柔道を見つめ直せたんでしょう。20年以上前から変わらない練習や根性論、不明確な代表の選考基準など、日本的な問題に切り込みたいと、帰国後には常に批判の声を上げていました」
2007年、五輪代表を選考するとされていた大会では、福見友子選手が谷に勝った。にもかかわらず、谷が代表に選ばれたことに、山口は憤慨。全日本柔道連盟強化委員の身でありながら、山口はスポーツ仲裁裁判所への提訴まで考えたという。
「山口さんは趣味が韓流ドラマですから、勧善懲悪というか、最後は正義が勝つ！ みたいな熱い思いもある人ですよ。谷さんは古い体質の日本柔道界でかわいがられ、その後も柔道人気の恩恵を受けて政治家にまでなったんです。熱い思いは山口さんと同様にあるんでしょうが、根本が違うんですよね…」（前出・柔道関係者）
※女性セブン2013年2月28日号