A video from a high school in Japan showing a student assaulting a classmate indiscriminately while nearby students cheered as if watching a mixed martial arts match is spreading on social media (SNS), stirring controversy. The assailant's personal information was identified and shared online, and education authorities and police have moved to respond.
According to Asahi Shimbun and other Japanese media on the 7th, a 9-second video was posted on an X account on the 4th. The video, filmed in a school restroom, shows a male student, identified as Student A, assaulting another male student, identified as Student B.
Several male students of the same age were in the restroom. One student, as if signaling the start of a mixed martial arts match, shouted a chant and raised a broom he was holding. In response, Student A, amid the cheers of other students, entered the restroom and assaulted Student B, who was inside.
Student A punched and kicked Student B indiscriminately. Student B stood facing Student A but could not put up any resistance. Nearby students burst into laughter and cheered, and even the sounds of the blows were clearly captured in the video.
The video surpassed 100 million views on X. Because it was posted on SNS with no blurring at all, Student A's identity was quickly pinpointed. Online, claims spread that Student A attends a high school in Tochigi Prefecture, and Student A's name, school name, major, and everyday photos were disclosed, with this personal information spreading rapidly across SNS and online communities.
Internet users expressed anger, saying, "School violence is unforgivable," "The victim, who couldn't resist at all, is pitiful," and "Punish the students who egged it on and cheered from the side." On the other hand, some argued, "It's not right to spread the personal information of a minor student."
As the controversy grew, the high school Student A attends and the relevant education authorities were flooded with hundreds of complaint calls. The school, education authorities, and police also moved to respond. Tochigi Prefectural Police said their investigation found the video was filmed in December and explained that they are investigating the parties involved and the students shown in the video. Police added that Student A admitted, "I did wrong."
The school said the students in the video are indeed its students. The school said it is currently on winter break and that after classes resume it plans to conduct a fact-finding survey on school violence among students.
Fukuda Tomiichi, the governor of Tochigi Prefecture, also ordered the education authorities to respond swiftly. At a news conference the previous day, Governor Fukuda, asked whether he had seen the video, said, "I was at a loss for words," adding, "It made me think to stop bullying of vulnerable students." He added that he instructed the education authorities to investigate the facts and issue a report.