Key Facts
• A Hiroshima elementary school teacher was re-arrested for indecent acts.
• National database tracks individuals whose teaching licenses were revoked for indecent acts.
• Database use has been mandatory for teacher hiring since 2023.
• Approximately 70% of private schools in Hiroshima did not use the database.
• Nationally, 75% of private schools failed to utilize the database.
• Law to prevent sexual violence by teachers was enacted four years ago.
• Education boards in Hiroshima and Nagoya were found not using the database.
• Minister of Education expressed regret over non-compliance with legal obligations.
• Hiroshima’s education boards began using the database in the 2023 fiscal year.
• Notifications were sent to private schools in April and July to enforce database use.
Summary
A national database tracking individuals whose teaching licenses were revoked for indecent acts has been underutilized in Hiroshima’s private schools, with 70% failing to use it during hiring processes. This database, mandated for use since 2023 under a law enacted four years ago to prevent sexual violence by teachers, has also seen low adoption nationwide, with 75% of private schools not utilizing it. Recent incidents, including a teacher’s re-arrest in Hiroshima and another case in Nagoya, highlight the issue. Education Minister Toshiko Abe criticized the lack of compliance, urging corrective measures. Hiroshima’s education boards began using the database in 2023, and private schools were notified in April and July to enforce its use.
