News On Japan

13 Children Hospitalized After Tear Gas Spray Discharged in Classroom

SHIGA, Sep 23, 2025 (News On Japan) - A tear gas spray accident at an elementary school in Kusatsu, Shiga Prefecture on September 22nd left 13 children hospitalized, though all are conscious and suffered only minor injuries.

The incident occurred at Kusatsu Daini Elementary School around 1:50 p.m., when a teacher called the fire department reporting that in a classroom of 27 students, 15 complained of throat and eye pain after a spray was released.

According to the fire department and the city’s board of education, the spray was brought to the school by a student for self-defense. During the lunch break, another student accidentally discharged it in a third-grade classroom, causing multiple children to feel unwell.

Thirteen students were taken to the hospital as a precaution, but none were seriously injured. The board of education is investigating the circumstances of how the spray was brought into the school and the details of the accident.

Source: YOMIURI

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