Overview

• Tochigi Prefectural Board of Education is running emergency inspections across 79 prefectural schools from August 18–22 following the arrest of a male teacher for secret filming.
• Staff teams are checking girls’ changing rooms and other likely blind spots such as locker areas, inspection ports, under slats, ceiling access points and equipment mounts.
• The board opened part of the process to media at a different school on August 20 and will convene an emergency principals’ meeting in Utsunomiya on August 27 to coordinate prevention.
• Mainichi’s nationwide survey found 84% of prefectural and ordinance-designated city boards are not considering classroom cameras, with none expressing active support and most citing privacy and chilling-effect concerns.
• MEXT’s July notice urged stronger staff training and regular in-school inspections to prevent sexual violence and did not promote installing cameras, a stance echoed by comments from Education Minister Abe Toshiko about the trade-offs of continuous recording.