Tokyo student gives up softball due to abusive language from middle school coach
According to the sources, the external coach sent messages calling the student "stupid," and reprimanded her in front of others, telling her she had "the brain of a 3-year-old."
Katsushika Ward's education board acknowledged the coach's remarks constituted abusive language. However, the student graduated without receiving an apology from the coach, the school or the education board, and decided to give up playing the sport.
According to the education board and other sources, the instructor, aged in her 40s, has been serving as an external coach at the school since the 2001 academic year, initially as a paid volunteer. Since the 2022 school year, she has been working as a part-time club activity instructor under a fiscal-year appointment system for public workers.
The club has another supervising teacher, but the coach is primarily responsible for instructing the team. At least one of her former students has even gone on to become a national representative.
The coach used the Line app to communicate with team members and regularly sent messages to the student who joined in April 2022, calling her "stupid" and "bald" (a general insult not necessarily restrict to bald people) for reasons such as "having a small voice." There were reportedly instances where she sent the student messages reprimanding her between around midnight and 1 a.m.
In November 2023, when the coach told the student to "go home," the latter replied, "I won't," and the coach yelled at her in front of other members, calling her ungrateful to her parents and saying she had "the brain of a 3-year-old." The supervising teacher was reportedly not present at the time.
The student later apologized to the coach for her defiant attitude but was not allowed to participate in club activities for about four months.
Though the student's parents consulted with the school and the education board, and she returned to the club in March 2024, her opportunities to participate in matches significantly decreased.
She had hoped to continue softball in high school, but enrolled in a high school without a softball team because she was afraid of possibly having to interact with the coach if she continued playing the sport.
In an interview with the Mainichi, the student recalled, "No matter how many times I apologized, I was told to 'show sincerity,' so I wrote a letter and delivered it to her home, but I wasn't forgiven and felt confused."
The principal acknowledged the coach's abusive language as "mostly true" and stated, "In March 2024, we instructed the coach that her methods were not in line with modern times, and the situation should have improved since then."
A representative from the education board explained, "Abusive language is unacceptable, and we have also instructed the coach to change her behavior."
The coach continues to instruct at this junior high school. Through the school, she commented, "I became emotional because I wanted to help them achieve what they couldn't do and make good plays. I lacked consideration for the children's feelings and the impact of my words."
(Japanese original by Sahomi Nishimoto, Tokyo City News Department)
* * *
The original Japanese article was written based on information received via "Tsunagaru Mainichi Shimbun," a submission form for journalism on demand. If there are any subjects you'd like us to cover, please contact us via: https://mainichi.jp/tsunagaru
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Mainichi
a day ago
- The Mainichi
Repeated abuse suspected at facility for people with disabilities in north Japan city
GOSHOGAWARA, Aomori -- Staff members at a support facility for people with disabilities in this northern Japan city are suspected to have abused residents, the Mainichi Shimbun has found. The abusive behavior at the facility Eikouen in Goshogawara, Aomori Prefecture, is suspected to have occurred on a regular basis, and the city is currently working to confirm the details. According to sources close to the matter, in mid-April, a female employee instructed a subordinate female care worker to prevent a female resident from standing up and moving around. The resident apparently had an intellectual disability that made it difficult to communicate. Staffers placed her in the dining hall in a wheelchair, and surrounded her using long table and chairs, effectively restraining her. In another incident in August 2024, a male resident repeatedly knocked on the door of a room where several residents were gathered. A male staffer who was monitoring responded by punching the man in the face. In October 2024, a different worker was seen slapping the cheek of a male resident who shouted loudly while lying in bed. These incidents were confirmed by the Mainichi through photographs and videos. The Goshogawara Municipal Government has already started conducting inquiries regarding the abuse allegations. The city's welfare policy division commented, "We are continuing to confirm the facts. If the actions are deemed malicious, the prefecture will issue administrative guidance or other penalties based on the Act on the Prevention of Abuse of Persons with Disabilities and Support for Caregivers." Eikouen was established in 1991 and is operated by the social welfare corporation Aiseikai, led by chairperson Suzue Terada. The facility houses up to 40 residents and provides work support and other services for up to 20 non-residential users who commute from home. Tatsuya Terada, the second son of Suzue Terada and the facility's general director, who is also a member of the Aomori Prefectural Assembly, acknowledged in an interview with the Mainichi that the series of images and videos were taken inside the facility. He stated, "I was not aware of the situation and cannot make any irresponsible comments. Please allow me to look into it first." (Japanese original by Shintaro Matsumoto, Aomori Bureau)
The Mainichi
3 days ago
- The Mainichi
Busting counterfeits: How customs experts in Tokyo spot fake imports
TOKYO -- Suspensions of imports of counterfeit brand-name goods and other such items surpassed 33,000 cases in Japan in 2024, a record high. The estimated combined price of these goods, if they were genuine, would reach approximately 28.2 billion yen (some $196 million). The Mainichi Shimbun examined frontline border control efforts aimed to detect counterfeit products, which are becoming increasingly sophisticated. Customs authorities are responsible for intercepting illegally imported goods at airports and ports. They target not only illegal drugs and hazardous materials but also keep a close eye on counterfeit items such as fake brand-name goods and character merchandise infringing on intellectual property rights such as trademarks and copyrights. According to the Ministry of Finance, the number of import suspensions for counterfeit goods in 2024 increased by 4.3% compared to the previous year, reaching 33,019 cases. Following amendments to the Customs Act in 2022, individual imports via online shopping sites have also become subject to regulation, contributing to the rising trend. By category, clothing topped the list of suspended imports, accounting for 31.1% of cases, followed by bags at 19.3% and footwear at 11.2%, indicating everyday items were common. Over 90% of these cases involved trademark infringements, such as with fake brand-name products. Importance of smell and appearance When importing goods as cargo from abroad, importers must declare them to customs. At the Tokyo Customs office in the coastal area of the capital's Koto Ward, dozens of suspected counterfeit items arrive daily from Tokyo Port as well as from Haneda and Narita airports. The customs office has a group of professionals who inspect these goods by hand to determine their authenticity. "Ugh, this has a strange smell," said Sakia Jitta, 31, who works in the Intellectual Property Division at Tokyo Customs, as she leaned in to sniff a tote bag featuring the logo of a famous brand. Indeed, when this reporter was allowed to sniff the bag, a sharp chemical odor hit my nose. Smell is a key method for identifying counterfeit goods. In the case of leather bags, genuine products have "a nice leather smell," according to Takuya Yoneda from the same division. Counterfeit products, on the other hand, often have unusual odors such as those reminiscent of chemicals or fish. Naturally, the appearance of the item is also an important factor. I was shown a pair of sneakers that were suspected to be counterfeits of a major sports brand. They looked ordinary at first glance, but upon removing the insoles, there were loose threads sticking out from the seams. The stitching was rough, and the shoebox had dents in it. Caution over awkward Japanese Another key clue is the sense of something being "off," developed through daily experience handling counterfeit goods. Not only the items themselves but other signs of shoddiness such as accompanying manuals with poor Japanese or incorrect characters can be red flags, officials say. Information provided by companies can often aid in identifying counterfeits. Businesses that own brands or characters and copyright holders can file a complaint in advance to request the suspension of imports if they suspect counterfeit goods may enter the country. The specific identification points that companies submit to customs to distinguish genuine products from counterfeits are also used for border control measures. Officials say some companies even visit customs to provide explanations directly. When in doubt, it's important not to shoulder the burden alone. Jitta points out that customs suspensions involve "halting someone's property rights," and come with a heavy responsibility. Next to the desk of Jitta and her colleagues is a dedicated team of about 40 people who provide consultation to customs officials nationwide. If these professionals determine that an item is likely counterfeit, customs notifies the importer and the company or other party holding intellectual property rights. If the goods are deemed to be counterfeit after considering both parties' opinions, customs will confiscate and dispose of them after a certain period. No refunds are issued for seized goods. While there are no penalties for individual importers, those importing counterfeit goods for business purposes can face penalties under the Customs Act including imprisonment of up to 10 years or a fine of up to 10 million yen (about $69,500). Advanced counterfeiting techniques Despite this robust framework, Kazunori Umekado, 58, who has been involved in such work for around 30 years, divulges, "The level of difficulty is gradually increasing as the production technology of counterfeit products are becoming more sophisticated, making it harder to distinguish them from genuine products." In terms of the number of cases where imports of items were suspended, about 80% had been exported from China. As authentic brand items are increasingly being manufactured in China, serving as the "world's factory," the technology for creating counterfeits is also said to have advanced, intensifying the cat-and-mouse game with customs at the border. The strain on customs inspection operations is also a challenge. The rise in online shopping has led to large numbers of fake products being imported in small lots via international mail and other means. Is the mindset 'copies are fine' OK? Counterfeit goods are often sold on online platforms at prices lower than genuine products. While some may think, "If it's cheaper and looks the same, a copy is fine, " this is premature. If counterfeit goods enter the market, it can undermine the business foundations of companies that manufacture and sell genuine products, leading to issues such as financial difficulties. Profits from counterfeit sales are also said to be a funding source for organized crime groups. Additionally, the safety of counterfeit products like cosmetics and water purifiers has not been confirmed, and they could pose unexpected health risks. Jitta commented, "Once counterfeits are sold domestically, it becomes difficult to recover them, and brand image can suffer. It is important to crack down on intellectual property violations to protect Japan's public interests."
Japan Today
6 days ago
- Japan Today
Father and son arrested for impersonating Shohei Ohtani to commit fraud
By SoraNews24 A father-son team have been arrested for their involvement in attempting to defraud a woman in her 80s out of 1 million yen. The two men, both Nepalese nationals living in Japan took turns impersonating none other than Los Angeles Dodgers' superstar Shohei Ohtani on messaging app Line and Facebook. They sent the victim messages saying, 'Because I'm the best baseball player in the world, my insurance premiums are too high. I've had to pay tens of millions of yen in insurance premiums, but it's still not enough. Can you help me pay 1 million yen in insurance premiums?' The elderly woman agreed and the son then pretended to be Ohtani's agent, saying he would travel to Tokyo to meet her and collect the money in cash. He actually lived in Tokyo too so didn't have to travel far to get the money and then deposit most of it into the bank account of his father who lived elsewhere in Japan. ▼ News report about the son's arrest The details on what led to the arrests aren't clearly reported, possibly because the investigation is still ongoing and police are looking to arrest other accomplices. However, it was reported that while the money was being collected, the woman asked to speak with Ohtani on the phone, but the man refused, saying that there was no time because his game was about to start. It would seem that was when she got wise to the scam and contacted police. However it went down, the father and son are now both in custody and have admitted to the charge of conspiracy to commit fraud. Readers of the news online were mostly amazed that someone could possibly believe Shohei Ohtani was struggling with cash, as others expressed in online comments that committing crime in the name of Ohtani was an especially heinous offence in Japan. 'They give Nepal a bad name.' 'If someone would fall for that, someone would fall for anything.' 'The woman probably has dementia. I hope they throw the book at these guys.' 'The idea that Ohtani has money trouble is hilarious.' 'I think we should all check on our elderly relatives.' 'How dare they use Ohtani's name like that!' It would seem that by committing fraud in the name of Japan's most beloved celebrity, these two and the others involved might have an especially hard time in a court of their peers. This particular type of fraud, known as 'special fraud' in Japan, is already considered a high priority for law enforcement and the legal system but special Ohtani fraud is a whole other league. Source: NHK, Mainichi Shimbun, NTV News Read more stories from SoraNews24. -- Pensioner pretends to be deceived by telephone fraud, helps catch criminals -- Osaka Prefecture bans seniors from talking on the phone while using ATMs -- Shohei Ohtani amazes Major League Baseball with his impeccable Japanese manners External Link © SoraNews24
