Japan gets tough against teachers’ sexual misconduct, voyeurism after arrests

2026.03.19 03:50 A man taking an upskirt photo. The wide use of mobile technology has encouraged misbehaviour among some Japanese teachers, analysts say. Photo: Shutterstock Japan’s education ministry has launched a campaign to fight sexual misconduct involving teachers and revised regulations against voyeurism in the wake of seven male educators arrested last year for taking inappropriate videos of students and sharing them on social media. A law aimed at preventing sexual misconduct in the nation’s schools went into effect in 2022, but revisions were introduced as a result of the offences. The ministry intends to update teachers on the rules, including dismissal and prosecution of those who take voyeuristic images of their students. Schools will be required to undergo regular inspections to ensure that cameras are not hidden in classrooms, bathrooms or changing rooms, and that teachers know they are not allowed to take photos of students on their personal smartphones. “The law to protect students from sexual harassment by teachers has been in place for a couple of years, and we are seeing more teachers being punished for their actions,” said Chisato Kitanaka, an associate professor of sociology at Hiroshima University and an adviser to the government on gender issues. In the 2024 financial year, 281 teachers and staff from kindergartens to senior high schools were disciplined for sexual offences, according to the latest available official data. While the figure was a decline from a record high of 320 cases in the previous financial year, such incidents are still a cause for concern. In Hiroshima alone, three male teachers have been arrested in the current academic year ending this month, according to Kitanaka. “There are several factors in the rising numbers, but one important factor is that there is greater awareness among children now of what is right and wrong, and they are increasingly coming forward to report incidents,” she said. Last November, police in Oka

原文链接: 南华早报