[dannymu]

Japan pupil in 'suicide warning'

Education Minister Bunmei Ibuki made a personal plea to the child
Japan's education ministry has published a letter purportedly from a school pupil threatening suicide on Saturday if he continues to be bullied.
The Japanese education minister received a package of letters from the child anonymously on Monday.

The ministry has asked education boards across the country to check whether any pupils in their district have problems similar to those described.

The contents of the letter have been published in Japanese newspapers.

It is hard to tell whether this is a genuine cry for help or not but the ministry is taking no chances, says the BBC's Chris Hogg in Tokyo.

At a news conference on Tuesday, chief cabinet secretary Yasuhisa Shiozaki stressed how seriously the threat was being taken.

'Living is painful'

"This is a matter of life and death," he told Reuters news agency.

"We want him (the pupil) to treat as precious the life received from his parents and ancestors."

The package sent to the ministry included letters intended for the education minister, the child's bullies and his parents.

In the letter addressed to Japan's Education Minister Bunmei Ibuki, the pupil - who is believed to be a boy - complains that he is been bullied and those responsible have not been punished.

"I am writing this letter because living is painful," the letter said.

"If nothing has changed by Wednesday, 8 November, I will commit suicide."

You have only one life and that life is not yours alone.

Bunmei Ibuki
Japanese Education Minister

In a note to the bullies the boy asks why they are picking on him. Another note addressed to a teacher asks why they will not help him.

Postmark identification

Also in the package were other notes to officials, a school principal, and to the boy's own parents. To them he says simply: "I am sorry."

None of these letters gives enough information to identify the pupil.

All the authorities have to go on is one character on the postmark, which could help to narrow down the search for him.

Education boards have been put on alert across the country in the hope they can prevent him carrying out his threat.

At Tuesday's press conference, Mr Ibuki made a personal plea to the child, saying the child's life was not his alone to take.

"Your mother and father brought you into this world, holding you in their arms," he said.

"I want you to understand that you are not being left alone."

Bullying is a real problem in Japan. Three bullied teenagers have taken their own lives in Japan since August.

The authorities have been trying to come up with ways to tackle the problem, but they are not finding it easy.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-p ... 124646.stm

I had never heard such a story before. It could simply be someone who is not a pupil trying to get teh Japanese Government to take bullying in schools very seriously. Nevertheless this story highlights a common problem in schools around the world. What are the best ways of tackling bullying in schools? Do you think getting the Police in schools as it's done in the US would help? I would say yes.

[Decky]

I was bullied(as everyone is to some extent) but didn't commit suicide. These people are weak. If they have informed the teacher and no action is taken they should take action into there own hands, noone will condem them.

[Shannonnn]

Where the hell is the parental involvement?

[dannymu]

I don't know where it is. It looks like Family Values in Japan vary a lot.

[The Red Hammer]

So did he kill himself?

[dannymu]

Good question. I have never heard of him/her since posting this story.

[Eauz]

no action is taken they should take action into there own hands, noone will condem them.

Actually, this is the problem with being bullied. If you react, and cause harm to the bully, there is proof you caused damage, but no proof that the bully caused the problem first.

Where the hell is the parental involvement?

Not everyone tells their parents that there is a problem. This is a global issue, not an issue of Japan. Often, getting parents involved, only increases the issue of bullying, as now you told on them, and they must get revenge.

I'm not sure how to resolve such an issue. I was at one time bullied, but it did help having a counselor and my mother to talk to, but not everyone is going to do this. Sometimes, just moving to another school helps improve the situation, as you get away from the same type of people you see for many years of your life.