Three female teachers formerly employed at a nursery school in the city of Susono, Shizuoka Prefecture, were arrested Sunday for allegedly repeatedly abusing toddlers in their care.
The teachers were held hours after police searched the private school following the city's disclosure Wednesday that they were involved in 15 cases of alleged abuse between June and August, such as holding toddlers upside down by their feet and slapping their faces.
The three, who left the nursery recently, admitted the abusive behavior — which also included forcibly removing toddlers' pants and brandishing a cutter knife in a threatening manner — but said they were trying to discipline the children, according to the city.
The teachers were among six in charge of class of 1-year-olds at the school, Sakura Hoikuen.
The police, suspecting that the abuse at the nursery was continuous, will analyze the seized documents. They are believed to have conducted the search out of concern that evidence could be destroyed as it was also discovered that the school had made all of its staff sign an oath not to disclose what took place there.
The police said the former teachers are Sachi Miura, 30, Kaori Komatsu, 38, and Rie Hattori, 39.
Miura is suspected of pushing a girl in the face on June 1, while Hattori allegedly hit a boy on the head on June 10. Komatsu is suspected of holding a boy upside down by his feet on June 27.
The city and prefectural governments on Saturday started carrying out a special audit of the school, questioning its head, Toshihiko Sakurai, and having him present the three teachers' work records, according to officials.
The abusive behavior was brought to light after the city received a report in mid-August. It had met with Sakurai for its probe but kept the case secret for more than three months.