Overview
- The Nara District Court, which issued its ruling on Thursday, July 16, 2026, rejected the girl and her parents' claim for about ¥2.5 million in damages from Nara City.
- Plaintiffs said the girl, who was bullied in 2021–22, suffered mental harm after submitting a note that read 'I should die' and receiving a returned note marked with a 'flower circle' and the comment 'You can do it!'.
- Judge Wada Ken found the homeroom teacher had spoken with the pupil after seeing the note, confirmed she did not express a sustained wish to die, and took steps to address her complaints, so no legal breach of duty was shown.
- The family argued the school’s investigation and response violated the Anti-Bullying Measures Promotion Law and were insufficient, while the court noted the school later treated the case as a 'serious incident' and conducted an inquiry.
- The ruling clarifies that courts will weigh whether staff checked the immediacy of risk and carried out concrete remedies rather than faulting schools for broader policy failings, a standard that could push schools to document talks and interventions more closely.