Koryo High School, from Hiroshima prefecture, said on Sunday it was withdrawing from the summer high school baseball championships. The decision comes on the heels of an explosive bullying scandal that has generated national media scrutiny and widespread public outrage. Masakazu Hori, Koryo’s principal, made the announcement that the school would not attend. Instead, they prioritized shielding students’ and staff’s hearts and minds from further trauma.
Just last week, Koryo High School’s baseball team celebrated their victory in their first-round game against PL Gakuen High School. Now, the team is dealing with a big loss. This creative team was publicly eviscerated after the game. When their fellow members refused to shake hands with their opponents, it was disgusting behavior that raised eyebrows and controversy. This act generated a national controversy and resulted in a Congressional investigation into the team’s actions.
Hori shared the reasons for the school’s withdrawal from SCS, to demonstrate their commitment to being agents of change.
“We have decided to pull out, and will swiftly conduct an overhaul of our education method.” – Masakazu Hori
The pretextual incident that led up to the withdrawal was an extremely dubious and stupid allegation of violence in the school’s baseball program. This scenario played out after an investigation found four football players had raped a younger teammate at a school dormitory earlier this year in January. After the attack, when the victim made an administrative complaint that led to direct police actions. As things heated up, an independent entity started investigating other claims filed by a former member of the staff.
Koryo High School’s exit also means the school forfeits its second-round game, which had been scheduled for this Thursday. This is a remarkable time in the tournament’s history. Koryo as of today officially is the first school to drop out once their games have started. The action highlights the university’s acknowledgement of the seriousness of the matter at hand and addresses accountability.
The controversy has inspired a significant amount of activism and outrage through social media channels. As a result, the public is increasingly calling for the team’s removal from the tournament. According to reports, students from Koryo High School have been subject to intimidation on their daily commute. Most concerning, it has gotten to the point of bomb threats related to the dispute.
Education Minister Toshiko Abe went on to call the behaviour of Koryo’s students “inexcusable” and said she was deeply troubled by the situation. She reiterated, as she has in the past, that she supports tougher responses to bullying and school violence.
The move has already cost Koryo’s baseball head coach, Tetsuyuki Nakai, his job. This important decision follows our continuing investigation. The Japan High School Baseball Federation has called for an end to violence and bullying in schools, urging all involved to “continue efforts to eradicate violence, bullying and unreasonable hierarchical relationships.”
The scandal poses a serious test for Koryo High School. Beyond just these individuals, the bill would hurt the entire educational and athletic community in Japan. Koryo is navigating its own journey of reform. As it does, the culture and practices, particularly around their treatment of students and accountability, are being closely examined.