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School bullying, or “ijime,” is a persistent problem in Japan. In 2020, there were 612,000 cases recorded in schools across the country, more than triple the number a decade ago. What begins as a joke between friends can end in insults and violence. These types of situations easily lead to academic failure, isolation and, in some cases, suicide. Last year, 80% of Japanese schools reported incidents of bullying.
Our correspondents Louis Belin, Ryusuke Murata, Aruna Popuri and Justin McCurry report from Tokyo.
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