Daily Lessons from Life 15 October 2012 in USA - Rising number of suicides caused by school bullying in Japan

"Rising number of suicides caused by school bullying in Japan - The Straits Times Oct 15 2012

While school bullying is hardly new to Japan, the phenomenon and suicides attributed to it have grown ever more common.

Exactly one year ago last Thursday, a 13-year-old boy took the long walk up a 14-storey apartment block in Otsu, a nondescript town in central Japan, via the concrete stairwell.

Once he reached the roof, he jumped to his death.

His parents blamed his suicide on prolonged bullying by schoolmates.

While school bullying is hardly new to Japan, the phenomenon and suicides attributed to it have grown ever more common. Bullying has also become more vicious with the arrival of the Internet.

Last year, 200 students at junior and senior high schools killed themselves, 44 more than the year before. It is not known how many of them were victims of bullying.

Earlier this month, the Education Ministry released a study in which it identified 250 cases of school bullying in the last six months, starting from April, which were so severe that "the child's life or physical well-being was at risk"."

I have read and learned about 'bully suicides' in Japan at least 10 years ago. At one time the tragic incident was quite bad and prevalent.

I am not sure what had been done to eliminate or reduce such tragedies since but it does not look good with this piece of news reporting.

Lessons for me are:

1. it is something the Japanese society has to resolve - one way or the other. Though in can be said that sometimes the Japanese cultural preference may actually help this form of bullying to go on!!

2. for me, 'bullying' in school must be totally eradicated and the bullies MUST be counselled on a continuous basis and monitor for '3 strikes and you are out' rule. It has to be strictly enforced by the teachers and school authorities;

3. one life lost to school bullying will be one too many. It will a shame if the school and teachers allowed bullied to carry on once they know it. No if and but about it!!

May the bullies get their just punishment and may the 'victims' fight back through speaking out and building the confidence and self-defence skills - off-line and online!!