On 4/1, a video filmed in late December 2025 went viral on Japanese social media, showing several students punching and kicking a male student in a public high school restroom in Tochigi province, north of Tokyo. The video garnered over 100 million views quickly.

The Tochigi provincial education board stated that teachers were unaware of the assault at the time. As the video spread, the education board and school received hundreds of calls and over 1,500 complaints and inquiries.

A male student assaulting a classmate in a high school restroom in Tochigi province, December 2025. *Photo: Coki*

Social media platforms were subsequently flooded with posts seeking the identities of the involved students, accompanied by abusive comments and threats. Some posts raised concerns about student safety, forcing several school clubs to withdraw from scheduled tournaments.

The backlash prompted police to intervene and question those involved. The male student in the video admitted to assaulting his classmate. On 5/2, police referred the student's case to prosecutors, and by 2/3, the matter was officially brought before the Family Court (a court specializing in family and juvenile issues) on suspicion of causing injury.

Concurrently, Oita city in southwestern Japan also recorded three videos of assaults among junior high school students. The local education board subsequently identified these as "serious bullying incidents."

Tochigi provincial education board officials bow in apology during a press conference on 7/1. *Photo: Kyodo*

In Osaka, another viral video showed an elementary school boy being pushed into the sea while playing with other elementary and junior high school students.

These videos prompted national officials to speak out. The Japanese Ministry of Education recently released the videos for anti-school violence education and to foster proper online conduct. Education boards nationwide were informed and encouraged to use this material in schools.

According to experts, the rapid spread of these videos reflects profound changes in the nature of school violence in Japan.

Some lawyers argue for restricting personal images in such videos from appearing online. "Once an image is disseminated, it cannot be completely erased, creating long-term risks for both victims and perpetrators," stated lawyer Mami Takeyama, encouraging students who are bullied or witness bullying to report it to schools or police, rather than posting it online.

By Duc Trung (Sources: Mainichi, Asahi, Yomiuri)