The previous record for cases of violence at public elementary schools was 1,600 cases in 2003, the Yomiuri Shimbun said, citing the Education Ministry report.

Attacks by schoolchildren against their teachers jumped nearly 33 percent to 336 cases during the latest school year, the paper said, quoting the report.

"In many cases, children easily lost their temper over trivial things and turned to violence," according to the report. "Children who have trouble verbally expressing their feelings due to lack of patience or communication skills tend to become quicker to use violence."

Examples listed in the report included a sixth-grader kicking a teacher after being instructed to form a straight line during practice for a sports event and a fifth-grader who abruptly hit a teacher who was telling the class how to greet people.

Meanwhile, the total number of violent acts at public elementary, junior and senior high schools fell 4.0 percent to 30,022, while off-campus violence fell 2.8 percent to 4,000.

The Japan Times Weekly: Oct. 1, 2005
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