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Japan Confronts Abuse and Safety Lapses With School Withdrawal, Police Leak Arrest and Bear Culling

Authorities framed the moves as protecting community safety to restore public trust.

Overview

  • Sendai Ikuei High School confirmed structural bullying in its boys’ soccer club, declared a legally defined “serious bullying incident,” suspended external activities through December and withdrew from the national high school championship, with prefectural representation yet to be decided.
  • Tokyo’s Metropolitan Police arrested assistant inspector Daisuke Jimbo on suspicion of leaking probe details to the large scouting group Natural, a multi‑year investigation that has identified about 1,500 members and at least 4.45 billion yen in 2022 referral income.
  • Osaka Prefectural Police detained Shoma Kobayashi, 31, over clandestine filming in an Ehime park restroom; he told investigators he had recorded more than 1,000 videos over a decade, sold clips via social media for at least 6 million yen, and kept over 200 videos and 13 small cameras.
  • Sapporo City said a brown bear repeatedly entering Maruyama Zoo since November 9 was trapped in a box cage and euthanized, after the city added cameras and electric fencing and fully closed adjacent Maruyama Park.
  • A boy believed to be an elementary school student was found critically injured in a Sendai apartment complex on November 10 and later died, with police examining a possible fall.