School Ignores Bullying: Boy Transferred

A local education board has partially acknowledged that a Chiba elementary school's response to a severe bullying incident was inappropriate. The situation involved a fourth-grade student who was ostracized, physically assaulted, and subjected to psychological distress by classmates starting around September 2024.

School staff allegedly failed to interview the victim or contact his parents regarding the escalating violence in October and November. Despite the boy reporting ongoing bullying in a November survey, the homeroom teacher reportedly did not seek details from the victim or inform his mother. The boy later confided that he blamed himself and feared upsetting his family.

After the mother submitted a medical certificate in late November, the school's reporting to the city board was delayed. The mother formally requested the case be treated as a serious incident in December, but the school took three weeks to file the report. The child transferred schools in January 2026, feeling betrayed and unprotected.

An independent third-party committee is now investigating the school's actions. An expert on bullying law suggests the delay may have violated anti-bullying laws, potentially contributing to the escalation of the harassment.