Although corporal punishment is banned by the education ministry, the suicide of a 17-year-old student at an elite sports school in Osaka Prefecture shows the practice of allowing teachers to hit students remains widespread in the school system.

"We are truly sorry but the fact remains that corporal punishment has never ceased to be practiced at schools," an official of the Osaka municipal board of education said at a news conference Tuesday to disclose the suicide of the Sakuranomiya Senior High School student.

The official said the student, who became captain of the basketball team in September, had been physically punished by his 47-year-old coach, who is known to have strict views on how team captains should behave.