Top officials from the education ministry and the city of Yokohama met Monday to discuss how to better prevent school bullying in the wake of the harassment of a transfer student from Fukushima.
Hiroyuki Yoshiie, senior vice education minister, said during the meeting with Mayor Fumiko Hayashi that because there are young evacuees from radiation-hit Fukushima all around the country, the ministry will help give academic institutions "clear guidelines" to cope with bullying.
"I feel sorry that we were not able to fully understand the pupil's situation, and staff at the education authority failed to cooperate," Hayashi said. "We want to take preventive measures."