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Bullying in Japanese Schools

BBC Indonesia Both of the children who killed themselves this weekend had been bullied. A twelve year old girl jumped to her death from a high building after her classmates teased her for being short. A fourteen year old boy hanged himself after his classmates tried to extort money from him.

It's not new of course. Japan's schools have long had a problem with bullying. After the suicides of five young children in less than four months, there's more attention being paid to the problem, but no-one can agree what to do about it.

More attention, of course, can create its own difficulties. The head teacher killed himself after giving a news conference in which he was criticised for his handling of an extortion incident involving a pupil at his school.

Suicide in Japan is not just seen as an easy way out. Traditionally, it was regarded as a responsible way to deal with a problem when faced with no other option. But last week, several schoolchildren wrote to the Education minister threatening to kill themselves because no-one would help them. He responded by urging students not to write to him, but instead to try find people they could talk to about their difficulties.

It's awkward. Some fear publicising such cases increases the likelihood others will try to copy them. Others though, say the failures in the system need to be exposed.

Back 24.11.2006.