This is the column I thought I'd never have to write. It's about how my son was bullied at school.
When I began this column about my children's experiences at a public elementary school in Tokyo, I knew someday I'd write about ijime (bullying). That's the first question non-Japanese ask: "Aren't you worried about bullying?" I planned to write an article to dismiss the stereotype that bullying is rampant in Japan. I'd describe how well my American kids were accepted in a Japanese school.
When we moved to Japan three years ago, we put our kids directly into local schools. My older boy started in third grade. His brother joined the kindergarten in the same building. They made friends. They were learning. We were positive about Japanese school.