Overview
- The board confirmed that a video showing multiple youths assaulting one boy is circulating on social media and has launched an investigation into its authenticity and circumstances.
- The footage was posted on the night of January 31 in two clips totaling about 90 seconds and appears to show a crowd under a riverside bridge with one assailant kneeing the victim’s abdomen and dragging him into the water.
- The filming date and exact location have not been verified after school staff first noticed the posts on February 1.
- Posts claiming to identify alleged perpetrators by name and face photo are spreading alongside the video.
- Officials are examining possible involvement of municipal junior high students, and Tochigi Prefectural Police say they are aware of the video and will respond appropriately.