There is a saying that competition begets vitality. But to survive this competition, it is essential to have a feeling of self-respect, belief in oneself. Such self-respect gives people, especially children, the power to face challenges without fear of failure. Yet it is often pointed out that neither parents nor teachers in Japan try hard enough to cultivate this kind of inner strength in children.
The biggest problem behind the recent spate of juvenile crimes and other incidents involving minors in Japan is said to be a lack of self-respect among children. The youth who killed and injured a number of other children in a series of attacks in Kobe, touching off the spate of incidents involving juveniles in recent years, reportedly had been tormented by dark feelings: "I wish I had never been born"; "My life is valueless." He committed his violent crimes as if to extinguish this feeling of powerlessness.
Similarly, the youth who hijacked a Nishitetsu expressway bus had reportedly been bullied. He took direct action in an attempt to restore his fading sense of self.