John Lindsey
5th March 2004, 14:05
http://mdn.mainichi.co.jp/news/20040305p2a00m0dm013000c.html
SAITAMA -- A junior high school student who thrust a Japanese-style sword at his classmate, resulting in the boy being injured was detained Friday, police said.
The first-year student hit his friend on the shoulder and palm with back of the sword at about 8 a.m. in their classroom in Omiya, Saitama Prefecture.
When the friend grabbed the edge of the sword with his left hand, he slightly injured his fingers and the palm of his hand.
The sword-wielding student, 13, whose name is being withheld under law, was also mildly injured when he quarreled with other students, Omiya Police Station officers said.
Teachers rushed to the classroom after hearing of the incident, to find the student had dropped his sword on the floor.
Police later reported the case to the city's child consultation center."I took the sword from home. I planned to kill some kids who had been bulling me," officers quoted the boy as saying.
Six classmates had reportedly made fun of the boy on Thursday, saying he looked like a video game character.
When he arrived at the classroom Friday, the boy saw three of his tormentors laughing and brandished the sword at them.
The unnamed principal of the school said he had not heard of any bullying."I haven't been informed of any such abuse," the principal said. "I want the entire school staff to educate their students about the value of life." (Mainichi and wire reports, Japan, March 5, 2004)
SAITAMA -- A junior high school student who thrust a Japanese-style sword at his classmate, resulting in the boy being injured was detained Friday, police said.
The first-year student hit his friend on the shoulder and palm with back of the sword at about 8 a.m. in their classroom in Omiya, Saitama Prefecture.
When the friend grabbed the edge of the sword with his left hand, he slightly injured his fingers and the palm of his hand.
The sword-wielding student, 13, whose name is being withheld under law, was also mildly injured when he quarreled with other students, Omiya Police Station officers said.
Teachers rushed to the classroom after hearing of the incident, to find the student had dropped his sword on the floor.
Police later reported the case to the city's child consultation center."I took the sword from home. I planned to kill some kids who had been bulling me," officers quoted the boy as saying.
Six classmates had reportedly made fun of the boy on Thursday, saying he looked like a video game character.
When he arrived at the classroom Friday, the boy saw three of his tormentors laughing and brandished the sword at them.
The unnamed principal of the school said he had not heard of any bullying."I haven't been informed of any such abuse," the principal said. "I want the entire school staff to educate their students about the value of life." (Mainichi and wire reports, Japan, March 5, 2004)