770,000 Bullying Cases Reported at Japanese Schools Last Year... Highest Ever Recorded

610,612 Bullying Cases Reported at Elementary Schools
350,000 Compulsory Education Students Refuse to Attend School

Over the past year, the number of bullying cases, including "ijime" (school bullying), reported at elementary, middle, and high schools in Japan reached approximately 770,000. This is the highest figure ever recorded.

On October 30, Asahi Shimbun, Yomiuri Shimbun, and other outlets reported these findings, citing the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology's "Survey on Problematic Behavior and School Refusal among Children and Students" for the previous year (April 2024 to March 2025). According to the survey, the number of bullying cases identified at schools in the 2024 academic year was 769,022, a 5.0% increase from the previous year's 733,568 cases. This is the largest number ever recorded in the annual surveys conducted by the Japanese government.

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The number of severe bullying cases classified as "serious incidents," which are suspected to have caused significant harm to life, physical well-being, or property at middle and high schools, was 1,405. This is also a record high, marking a 7.6% increase from the previous year. The previous year's number of serious incidents was 1,306. When examining the number of bullying cases identified by school type last year, elementary schools accounted for an overwhelming 610,612 cases. Since these figures represent identified cases, the actual number may be higher, and the data can vary depending on the investigative capabilities and reporting systems of each school.

The number of students in compulsory education (elementary and middle schools) who were classified as "school refusers" due to being absent without permission for 30 or more days in a year was 353,970, a 2.2% increase from the previous year. The number of long-term absentees at high schools was 103,608. The number of school refusers has risen for 12 consecutive years, reaching a record high last year as well. The number of elementary, middle, and high school students who died by suicide was 413, which also increased compared to the previous year.

In response to the suicide of a middle school student who was bullied at school in 2011, Japan enacted the "Act for the Promotion of Measures to Prevent Bullying" in 2013, further strengthening efforts to identify and support victims. In particular, bullying that poses a serious threat to life or mental and physical health is classified as a "serious incident" and is addressed with focused measures. However, there are still no clear signs that the number of victims is decreasing.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.