UTSUNOMIYA, Tochigi Pref. ¨C A video showing a student assaulting another student at a high school in Tochigi Prefecture has spread on social media, prompting probes by the prefectural board of education and police.
¡°We take it very seriously,¡± Chihiro Nakamura, head of the prefectural board of education, told a news conference Thursday. ¡°We apologize to the affected students and related people. We will make efforts to prevent a recurrence to ensure that schools are safe places.¡±
According to the Tochigi Prefectural Board of Education and other sources, the video of the incident was recorded on Dec. 19. The nine-second clip shows a male student assaulting another student in a restroom, hitting him in the face and kicking him in the back of the head. The video was primarily spread on social media platform X.
Tochigi police have questioned students related to the incident on suspicion of assault. The student who committed the assault expressed remorse, saying, ¡°I¡¯m really sorry,¡± according to sources.
The Tochigi board of education interviewed students after becoming aware of the video¡¯s circulation on Sunday night. It plans to hold meetings with parents to explain the situation and consider measures to prevent the spread of such videos.
Also on the Thursday, the Oita Prefectural Police received reports that a video showing bullying at a junior high school in the prefecture¡¯s capital of Oita had been posted on X. The police are working with the city¡¯s board of education to confirm the details.
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