Oct 27 (Japan Today) - The number of reported bullying cases at Japanese schools hit a record high of more than 320,000 in the 2016 academic year due partly to efforts to detect early signs, the education ministry says.
Altogether 323,808 bullying cases at elementary, junior high and high schools were reported, up 43.8% from a year before, with the figure for elementary schools jumping 1.5-fold. But according to results of a survey, 90.6% of the total cases had been resolved and efforts were under way to address another 9.1%.
"We must take seriously the increase in the number," a ministry official said. "But we believe we're moving in a desirable direction to save children as long as we're able to recognize bullying earlier and deal with the situation."
The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology said 400 cases at 374 schools amounted to what it calls "serious situations" as defined by a law on bullying prevention, in which the children had experienced significant mental and physical suffering.
Of 244 students who committed suicide, 10 had been bullied.
