02.00 START
voice
02.18 Centre Tokyo, Sunday morning. Outcast youth. They who refuse to accept the rules.
02.34 Monday morning, this mother prepares her child for school. The school system in Japan is hard.
02.49 In this Kindergarten , the Hikari school, children are taught: English and mathematics. Especially English is very hard on these youngsters. They run around , winter and summer, half naked. Mentally and physically these children are being prepared for there future school life.
SVO: Rosalind Brown, English Teacher
03.12 In Japanese there is an expression: ‘The nail that sticks out is hammered down’. So people who really want to be different, can't survive in an Asian society. So, it's rather difficult for artists and eccentrics to survive in this country. That's why there are so many Japanese artists living in New York or Brussels or Paris or London.
From elementary school they're often pushed to studying and they have extra classes after school, so that they can go to a better middle school, so they can go to a better high school, so they can go to the best university, so when they graduate, they can get a job in one of the more prestigious companies. So it is really what you call "presse citron" in French, it's terribly competitive. A lot of children crack up under the pressure, and there are a lot of negative things that happen, like bullying and children who can't cope with the studying.
SVO: Shinya Hirano, Father of "Kun" Hirano
04.38 Last year, our son killed himself. Reason: he was being bullied in school. He tried to fight it but in the end he gave up. His heart was torn and he chose death.
SVO: Kimie Hirano, Mother of "Kun" Hirano
05.17 We never knew he suffered that much . He never showed us anything. He was a proud boy. Probably he would have lost face if he had told us.
voice
05.37 His friends never saw it coming either.
Friend of "Kun" Hirano
05:47 Some friend told me the news. He called me. At first I couldn't believe it. I thought it was a lie. The next day I heard it really did happen. I was very upset.
06.09 Q: why did he commit suicide ?
Friend of "Kun” Hirano
06.14 He changed schools and probably didn't have many friends there. He was lonely and was being bullied. This was probably the greatest shock of all for him.
06.34 Q: is it difficult to have friends when you change schools?
Friend of "Kun" Hirano
06.39 I, myself, have changed schools a lot. In the beginning I was every time worried whether I'd have friends. It is quite a relief if you finally find a friend. But you are sad if you can't find any and you are being bullied.
Voice
06.53 Tuesday morning, 7am, an ordinary family. These twin daughters go to the Hikari kindergarten
07.01 1,2,3...10. You have to rub hard, otherwise you'll catch a cold.
Voice
07.20 The children warm each other. This way they are hardened against the cold.
SVO: Rosalind Brown, English Teacher
07.30 When I first came here, I was really surprised that the children were running around in shorts, and outside the weather was really bad. It was sleeting and I was bundled up with lots of sweaters and a cardigan and all these naked children came into the classroom and I said where are their clothes ?
STEM
07.50 Walking naked in class is even in Japan is the exception. The idea that a child has to memorise everything is generally accepted.
SVO: Shoji Matsumoto, Head of Hikari Kindergarten
08.01 A child is not creative. That is rubbish. A child’s drawing may produce a strong emotional feeling in adults : a child draws spontaneously large and uses a lot of colours, but a child can't lay anything of itself into the drawing. You ask too much of the child if you want him to use his creativity. They simply have no creativity.
SVO: Rosalind Brown, English Teacher
08.37 I would say, there is not a lot of character building, because of course it is a question of time. Japanese have to learn a lot to be able to read. Which is one of the reasons that they try to teach them to do that in this school because small children have much better memories. So, I think it is absolutely dreadful. If I had a child and when they grew up and they were a labourer or they worked in a factory, they don't have to be university professors, you know, I don't think that's the most important thing. I think the most important thing is character.
SVO: Mother of child
09.48 In the beginning my daughter had every so often a cold. I was worried. But now she hasn't this problem anymore. There is this special price: children who walk around in their bare belly from November till February get a certificate. It's only paper, but the children are very happy with it. Last year my daughter saw this. And now she wants one as well, whatever the cost. Now, every day she goes to school with a bare belly.
Mother of child:
10.34 Bullying is nowadays a big problem, but I think it is wrong to say it is the fault of the educational system. The cause has to be looked for at home, I think. Mothers of this school are rather stern (severe) , but lately many mothers can't manage the discipline they need to bring up their children at home.
STEM
10.55 If fate strikes and a child commits suicide then parents and school react very different. The school of Kun Hirano never told the real reason of his death.
Kimie Hirano
11.09 On the day of his suicide children had spread margarine on his table. The three days between his suicide and his burial, the school didn't say anything. We were informed by the newspaper. When we asked the school , only then they acknowledge what really happened. The school never was at any moment sincere. I wonder whether they realise they are educating people. Of the children that spread the margarine, up to this moment we haven't heard anything from them. On the contrary, we even don't know who did it. Almost everyday we received threats by phone. Now that's over, for 4 months we received calls, it remained silent at the other end of the line, or they said: "leave this town". Even children.
STEM
12.40 For many teachers it is virtually impossible to guide the children in a proper way. They simply have too many pupils.
Rosalind Brown, English Teacher
13.24 In high schools it's about 40 to 1, or 50 to 1 which is a ridiculous ratio. The teacher very often doesn't know the children's names.
13.45 Evening schools are very onerous on the parents as they are very expensive. Very time consuming for the children so they don't have a lot of time to enjoy themselves with their friends. So, the way they enjoy themselves with their friends at the moment is going to cramschools with their friends and maybe going to McDonalds and having a coca cola doing their homework together. So it isn't really a lots of fun being a teenager even with all the distractions that seemed to be offered to teenagers. It isn't really so wonderful.
14.26 Photographer: Look here, OK ? Cheese! Thank you very much.
Voice
14.43 Madoka Mori teaches at the Hikari kindergarten. It was a long and hard road she travelled to get here.
Madoka Mori
14.53 In the first grade I had to study for an entrance examination for the 2nd grade. I followed evening classes when some of my friends were playing. Christmas and summer holidays as well, 4pm 'till 12pm.
Voice
15.15 9.45pm these children are at school. These schools have as primary concern to guide the pupils through the endless line of entrance examinations. The teachers are sometimes real heroes. But even they see that the Japanese educational system doesn't create people with a strong backbone.
Satoru IKEDA, Cramschool Teacher
15.36 I think many Japanese students have lost their identities. It's a very sad thing. It was caused by Japanese education. Today, many Japanese teachers only studying by the desk, and don't teach other interesting things in life.
16.17 Do you know what children do in Europe or the States after 5 pm?
16.28 boy: praying maybe. (in the Japanese language there is no confusion between play and pray!!)
Satoru IKEDA, Cramschool Teacher
16.42 Not so long ago, a boy in 2nd grade committed suicide after reading " a suicide manual". They commit suicide because they don't know the fear of death yet. Japan isn’t afraid of attacks by foreign countries. Children no longer have any sense of danger. If they hit someone, they don't realise they can hurt someone.
17.15 Writing: Quit that bullshit! Octopus. Dummy
17.26 Writing: Nobody loves you!
Father of “Kun" (Shinya Hirano)
17.32 There is a saying "You see, but you pretend not to see". Which means one wants to keep away from danger and problems. Everybody still acts as if nothing is happening. Adults too.
Voice
18.12 Nevertheless more and more parents are aware that their child could be less innocent than he looks.
Mr. Sumitari, Father of child
18.19 My son goes to kindergarten, and he is a bit of a gangleader. He's very expressive and hasn’t much patience. In his class there’s a rather shy girl. If he doesn't understand her, he takes away her toys, just like that. He even beat her a couple of times. Then I was really mad at him. Bullies always pick someone weaker than themselves. They'd never pick someone stronger and smarter. Children who lap behind in their studies, resort more easily to the use of violence against someone physically weaker than themselves. In Japan the mentality of the group works this way. They bully people weaker than themselves or those working under them.
Voice
19.27 Mrs. Nagasaki leads one of the few organisations dedicated to solving the problem of bullying and suicides.
Noriko Nagasaki, opponent of education system
19.35 Bullying, we shouldn't allow it, ever. All parents in Japan should form front against it. But at this moment it wouldn't work, because they're afraid it might have consequences on the results of the entrance examinations of their children. They simply don't dare to take a stand or participating in concrete actions. The parents know that in the past 10 years nothing has changed. And they are afraid of the consequences. Children can't say anything, but the parents can't either. This way everything (the social order) remains unchanged.
20.28 Slogan: Let's build together our future. Everybody has to work together for this.
Voice
20.40 Today, Mrs. Nagasaki visits the school where "kun" had classes. Time upon time she has tried to talk with the head and the teachers on the problem of bullying and suicide. Until now without any success.
20.59 Can we make an appointment with you?
21.02 - Only the headmaster can answer this question.
21.09 Not only the media gets this answer, but the parents as well.
I hope you are friendlier with the parents or families.
21.29 - This is your opinion, but , in any case, do you want to set for another appointment because the head isn't in presently.
21.43 I know. But because it's so difficult, we are here today. When will he back?
21.51 - Not today.
21.53 Where is he today? Out of the province?
21.56 - No.
22.00 But he will return, won't he?
22.06 - No, not today he won't.
22.0 So, he goes straight home?
22.0 - Yes
22.05 The vice head as well ?
22.07 - Yes.
Voice
22.09 Today Mrs. Nagasaki didn't get beyond the door. But she keeps on fighting.
Noriko Nagasaki
22.16 My child was bullied too. From my personal experience I've seen the necessity that school, parents, city and society should work together to solve this problem of bullying. Otherwise the future of Japan looks very grim indeed. Children never should loose their humanity.
23.20 END
voice
02.18 Centre Tokyo, Sunday morning. Outcast youth. They who refuse to accept the rules.
02.34 Monday morning, this mother prepares her child for school. The school system in Japan is hard.
02.49 In this Kindergarten , the Hikari school, children are taught: English and mathematics. Especially English is very hard on these youngsters. They run around , winter and summer, half naked. Mentally and physically these children are being prepared for there future school life.
SVO: Rosalind Brown, English Teacher
03.12 In Japanese there is an expression: ‘The nail that sticks out is hammered down’. So people who really want to be different, can't survive in an Asian society. So, it's rather difficult for artists and eccentrics to survive in this country. That's why there are so many Japanese artists living in New York or Brussels or Paris or London.
From elementary school they're often pushed to studying and they have extra classes after school, so that they can go to a better middle school, so they can go to a better high school, so they can go to the best university, so when they graduate, they can get a job in one of the more prestigious companies. So it is really what you call "presse citron" in French, it's terribly competitive. A lot of children crack up under the pressure, and there are a lot of negative things that happen, like bullying and children who can't cope with the studying.
SVO: Shinya Hirano, Father of "Kun" Hirano
04.38 Last year, our son killed himself. Reason: he was being bullied in school. He tried to fight it but in the end he gave up. His heart was torn and he chose death.
SVO: Kimie Hirano, Mother of "Kun" Hirano
05.17 We never knew he suffered that much . He never showed us anything. He was a proud boy. Probably he would have lost face if he had told us.
voice
05.37 His friends never saw it coming either.
Friend of "Kun" Hirano
05:47 Some friend told me the news. He called me. At first I couldn't believe it. I thought it was a lie. The next day I heard it really did happen. I was very upset.
06.09 Q: why did he commit suicide ?
Friend of "Kun” Hirano
06.14 He changed schools and probably didn't have many friends there. He was lonely and was being bullied. This was probably the greatest shock of all for him.
06.34 Q: is it difficult to have friends when you change schools?
Friend of "Kun" Hirano
06.39 I, myself, have changed schools a lot. In the beginning I was every time worried whether I'd have friends. It is quite a relief if you finally find a friend. But you are sad if you can't find any and you are being bullied.
Voice
06.53 Tuesday morning, 7am, an ordinary family. These twin daughters go to the Hikari kindergarten
07.01 1,2,3...10. You have to rub hard, otherwise you'll catch a cold.
Voice
07.20 The children warm each other. This way they are hardened against the cold.
SVO: Rosalind Brown, English Teacher
07.30 When I first came here, I was really surprised that the children were running around in shorts, and outside the weather was really bad. It was sleeting and I was bundled up with lots of sweaters and a cardigan and all these naked children came into the classroom and I said where are their clothes ?
STEM
07.50 Walking naked in class is even in Japan is the exception. The idea that a child has to memorise everything is generally accepted.
SVO: Shoji Matsumoto, Head of Hikari Kindergarten
08.01 A child is not creative. That is rubbish. A child’s drawing may produce a strong emotional feeling in adults : a child draws spontaneously large and uses a lot of colours, but a child can't lay anything of itself into the drawing. You ask too much of the child if you want him to use his creativity. They simply have no creativity.
SVO: Rosalind Brown, English Teacher
08.37 I would say, there is not a lot of character building, because of course it is a question of time. Japanese have to learn a lot to be able to read. Which is one of the reasons that they try to teach them to do that in this school because small children have much better memories. So, I think it is absolutely dreadful. If I had a child and when they grew up and they were a labourer or they worked in a factory, they don't have to be university professors, you know, I don't think that's the most important thing. I think the most important thing is character.
SVO: Mother of child
09.48 In the beginning my daughter had every so often a cold. I was worried. But now she hasn't this problem anymore. There is this special price: children who walk around in their bare belly from November till February get a certificate. It's only paper, but the children are very happy with it. Last year my daughter saw this. And now she wants one as well, whatever the cost. Now, every day she goes to school with a bare belly.
Mother of child:
10.34 Bullying is nowadays a big problem, but I think it is wrong to say it is the fault of the educational system. The cause has to be looked for at home, I think. Mothers of this school are rather stern (severe) , but lately many mothers can't manage the discipline they need to bring up their children at home.
STEM
10.55 If fate strikes and a child commits suicide then parents and school react very different. The school of Kun Hirano never told the real reason of his death.
Kimie Hirano
11.09 On the day of his suicide children had spread margarine on his table. The three days between his suicide and his burial, the school didn't say anything. We were informed by the newspaper. When we asked the school , only then they acknowledge what really happened. The school never was at any moment sincere. I wonder whether they realise they are educating people. Of the children that spread the margarine, up to this moment we haven't heard anything from them. On the contrary, we even don't know who did it. Almost everyday we received threats by phone. Now that's over, for 4 months we received calls, it remained silent at the other end of the line, or they said: "leave this town". Even children.
STEM
12.40 For many teachers it is virtually impossible to guide the children in a proper way. They simply have too many pupils.
Rosalind Brown, English Teacher
13.24 In high schools it's about 40 to 1, or 50 to 1 which is a ridiculous ratio. The teacher very often doesn't know the children's names.
13.45 Evening schools are very onerous on the parents as they are very expensive. Very time consuming for the children so they don't have a lot of time to enjoy themselves with their friends. So, the way they enjoy themselves with their friends at the moment is going to cramschools with their friends and maybe going to McDonalds and having a coca cola doing their homework together. So it isn't really a lots of fun being a teenager even with all the distractions that seemed to be offered to teenagers. It isn't really so wonderful.
14.26 Photographer: Look here, OK ? Cheese! Thank you very much.
Voice
14.43 Madoka Mori teaches at the Hikari kindergarten. It was a long and hard road she travelled to get here.
Madoka Mori
14.53 In the first grade I had to study for an entrance examination for the 2nd grade. I followed evening classes when some of my friends were playing. Christmas and summer holidays as well, 4pm 'till 12pm.
Voice
15.15 9.45pm these children are at school. These schools have as primary concern to guide the pupils through the endless line of entrance examinations. The teachers are sometimes real heroes. But even they see that the Japanese educational system doesn't create people with a strong backbone.
Satoru IKEDA, Cramschool Teacher
15.36 I think many Japanese students have lost their identities. It's a very sad thing. It was caused by Japanese education. Today, many Japanese teachers only studying by the desk, and don't teach other interesting things in life.
16.17 Do you know what children do in Europe or the States after 5 pm?
16.28 boy: praying maybe. (in the Japanese language there is no confusion between play and pray!!)
Satoru IKEDA, Cramschool Teacher
16.42 Not so long ago, a boy in 2nd grade committed suicide after reading " a suicide manual". They commit suicide because they don't know the fear of death yet. Japan isn’t afraid of attacks by foreign countries. Children no longer have any sense of danger. If they hit someone, they don't realise they can hurt someone.
17.15 Writing: Quit that bullshit! Octopus. Dummy
17.26 Writing: Nobody loves you!
Father of “Kun" (Shinya Hirano)
17.32 There is a saying "You see, but you pretend not to see". Which means one wants to keep away from danger and problems. Everybody still acts as if nothing is happening. Adults too.
Voice
18.12 Nevertheless more and more parents are aware that their child could be less innocent than he looks.
Mr. Sumitari, Father of child
18.19 My son goes to kindergarten, and he is a bit of a gangleader. He's very expressive and hasn’t much patience. In his class there’s a rather shy girl. If he doesn't understand her, he takes away her toys, just like that. He even beat her a couple of times. Then I was really mad at him. Bullies always pick someone weaker than themselves. They'd never pick someone stronger and smarter. Children who lap behind in their studies, resort more easily to the use of violence against someone physically weaker than themselves. In Japan the mentality of the group works this way. They bully people weaker than themselves or those working under them.
Voice
19.27 Mrs. Nagasaki leads one of the few organisations dedicated to solving the problem of bullying and suicides.
Noriko Nagasaki, opponent of education system
19.35 Bullying, we shouldn't allow it, ever. All parents in Japan should form front against it. But at this moment it wouldn't work, because they're afraid it might have consequences on the results of the entrance examinations of their children. They simply don't dare to take a stand or participating in concrete actions. The parents know that in the past 10 years nothing has changed. And they are afraid of the consequences. Children can't say anything, but the parents can't either. This way everything (the social order) remains unchanged.
20.28 Slogan: Let's build together our future. Everybody has to work together for this.
Voice
20.40 Today, Mrs. Nagasaki visits the school where "kun" had classes. Time upon time she has tried to talk with the head and the teachers on the problem of bullying and suicide. Until now without any success.
20.59 Can we make an appointment with you?
21.02 - Only the headmaster can answer this question.
21.09 Not only the media gets this answer, but the parents as well.
I hope you are friendlier with the parents or families.
21.29 - This is your opinion, but , in any case, do you want to set for another appointment because the head isn't in presently.
21.43 I know. But because it's so difficult, we are here today. When will he back?
21.51 - Not today.
21.53 Where is he today? Out of the province?
21.56 - No.
22.00 But he will return, won't he?
22.06 - No, not today he won't.
22.0 So, he goes straight home?
22.0 - Yes
22.05 The vice head as well ?
22.07 - Yes.
Voice
22.09 Today Mrs. Nagasaki didn't get beyond the door. But she keeps on fighting.
Noriko Nagasaki
22.16 My child was bullied too. From my personal experience I've seen the necessity that school, parents, city and society should work together to solve this problem of bullying. Otherwise the future of Japan looks very grim indeed. Children never should loose their humanity.
23.20 END