The parents of a third-year junior high school boy who committed suicide in February 2023, after being bullied in Kadoma City, Osaka Prefecture, have filed a suit against his classmates and the city seeking damages.
According to the suit filed on Monday, the 15-year-old boy took his own life at home after being subjected to slanderous comments from several classmates on Instagram and the Line messaging app, TV Asahi reported. He had been repeatedly bullied since his first year in the basketball club, and had been ignored by classmates who would post comments such as "Go die.” It is also believed that he had developed an adjustment disorder just before his death.
The parents have filed suit against 11 classmates and Kadoma City, claiming that the school and their son's homeroom teacher did not take any action against the bullying.
The boy’s mother said at a news conference on Monday: ”Bullying is a crime, and the actions of the students who committed this crime were extremely despicable and showed no sense of shame. We, the family members, and my son's friends will never forgive those who committed the crime."
A council set up by Kadoma City's Board of Education investigated the case, and in December last year determined that 62 incidents, including Line and Instagram posts, constituted bullying.
