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Tochigi High School Confirms Students in Assault Video, Says Case May Constitute Bullying

Prefectural officials plan a schoolwide inquiry starting Jan. 8 as police pursue the incident as an assault following the suspect’s admission.

Overview

  • The prefectural board says the clip was filmed on Dec. 19 in a school restroom and shows a boy punching an unresisting student twice in the face and kicking the back of his head as others jeer.
  • At a Jan. 7 briefing, education officials said the case could meet the Anti-Bullying Promotion Law’s definition and the school will survey all students and convene a parents’ briefing.
  • Police received a tip on Jan. 4 and interviewed involved students on Jan. 5 in an unusually rapid response intended to curb misinformation and potential rights violations online.
  • Investigators are treating the matter as an assault, and the student believed to be the assailant admitted the attack during voluntary questioning and apologized.
  • The school reports receiving more than 200 messages expressing protest or concern after the video spread on social media.