Society

Record 612,000 bullying cases logged over last school year in Japan

Oct 23 (Japan Times) - Bullying cases recognized by elementary, junior high, high and special-needs schools in Japan in fiscal 2019 grew by some 60,000 from the previous year to a record 612,496, the education ministry said Thursday.

The number rose for the sixth straight year and has grown about threefold in that period, led by a sharp increase in cases at elementary schools, according to a survey by the ministry.

The law on promoting measures to prevent bullying took effect in 2013 in response to a high-profile bullying and suicide case involving a junior high school boy in Otsu, Shiga Prefecture.

Fights and teasing are now counted as bullying cases in line with the law.

“(Schools) have recognized bullying cases proactively in order to eliminate them,” a ministry official said.

In fiscal 2019, which ended in March this year, bullying cases at elementary schools rose by some 50,000 to 484,545. Bullying cases stood at 106,524 at junior high schools, 18,352 at high schools and 3,075 at special-needs schools.

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