Three 17-year-old boys arrested for nearly drowning student in river

If I had my way, I'd send these bastards to a "scared straight" program in a U.S prison

Come on Japan, no good natured passerby to put a stop to these fools?

Crazy Joe

You are most certainly right. The need a scare of their lives so that they stop bullying. What is with bullying? I was bullied once but lucky for I had a father that at the time he was a colonel and he made an example out of those wanna be gangsters that tried that on me. After that, no one in my neighborhood was scared of playing outside or at the neighborhood park. I am sure you are wondering what he did. Well my father was a colonel in the USMC and he was in charge of the MP s in Alamogordo NM White Sands Missile Range. We lived about two hours away drive from there. It so happens that on the northeast part of town where I lived there were also a lot of wanna be bloods and crypts and they were always riding around after school in their cars scaring the crap out everyone. Well it so happens that my father also had friends in the police department and he planned a raid on all these wannabes' cars. It took a week long for the whole sting to take place but in the end, there were 42 arrests, 39 convictions and a lot cars were confiscated, not to mention, these punks were kicked out of school. I felt safer and school became alive with events. My dad didn't want any attention brought to him because of this but the few knew we grateful. However, gangs and bullies will never go away, they hang on this society like flies on poop. They do this ONLY for attention. So maybe it's time to give them the attention they want. Let's make these bullying kids an example so that others see that their actions are indeed being noticed and handled accordingly. If that don't help, I don't know what will.

This country's youth seriously lack good old "playground justice'. It would sort these thugs out quick smart and give the victims a chance to stand up for themselves instead of jumping off roofs and spending the rest of their lives in an agerophobic state of depression.

@Stephen Jez

Come on Japan, no good natured passerby to put a stop to these fools?

The thought of people standing by filming this while they drowned the boy until he passed (which could easily have been until he was dead for all the onlookers knew) is utterly disgusting. Nobody thought to say anything?

Like: "Hey! I'm filming this! The cops are going to know who you are!"

WTF is wrong with people?

This country is a huge passive/aggressive powder keg that is slowly exploding.

Major A-holes.

@Stephen Jez & gaijinfo thumbs up. This is Japan. No one wants to get involved. They will film and share on the Internet but call 110? Nope.

Looks like boys are up to no good in Japan these days. -_-

They'll be right at home working in a Japanese prison someday.

My thinking is that most Japanese won't get involved. I've gone through several of these onlookers only episodes here. Once a car accident in my neighborhood with the victim in the car while gasoline began spilling out while onlookers just stood around. I screamed for someone to call the police and ambulance but no one moved but me. So there you are.

Yup, bystander effect seems to affect almost everyone here. They call it a collectivist society, but people here are are detached from reality and live in their own little world. Nobody cares about the well being of others. Too often, I see frail old women struggling to stand inside a train while young men sit in the "reserved for elderly" section. Nobody helps others.

When I was young, bullies were confronted and told in no uncertain terms they would have the crap beat out of them if they didn't stop(and they usually did stop) Why can't the Japanese youth of today "police" themselves?

the three boys, one a high school student and two unemployed,

What type of job will a 17 year old expect to get in Japan? Here's part of the problem inthe supposed "equal society" of Japan. You have kids who don't have the advantages of others and these are the ones that will be the workers in the "fafter hours" businesses since obviously they still need to be in school, and are not yet full adults, even by Japanese standards since they are still minors unitl they reach 20.

At least in the USA, these kids could have been in the National Guard or some other program to help them at least put their agression in another manner, but I imagine these are some "wanna bes" who think they are tough and picking on someone whom they are jealous of for being able to go to school.

Don't worry, the upcoming survey will put a stop to all this.

Gee its a good thing the on lookers filmed it. I can't imagine what would have happen if they did more or less.

There were also some onlookers who filmed the incident with their cell phones and posted images on the Internet

Not exactly. I saw this news on Japanese TV about a week ago and the high school girls who filmed the thing were friends of the gang of bullies. One the bullies told them to film what they were going to do, so they did. During the bullying the boy lost his swim suit and the girls were heard giggling. After they realized what was actually going on (the boy was drowning) they showed the video to the mother of the bullied kid and she went to the police with it.

@Stephen Jez & gaijinfo thumbs up. This is Japan. No one wants to get involved. They will film and share on the Internet but call 110? Nope.

No one wants to get involved anywhere, incidents happen all over the world where people dont get involved when they should.

attempted murder...no less

In every country the children are fighting in schools and some times they are beating each others but they know the limits but here ,if you are agree or not , the children do not know how to show there anger to each other. some times in even in physical jokes they punches each other severely.

now there are some questions, do they lack the required communication, do they read each other minds, do they know each other feelings?

what total dicks

@Yubaru People get involved much more often than not outside of Japan. Sure, some people just can't be bothered or are afraid of getting involved but it seems in Japan the chance of a Japanese stepping in to help is zilch.

It's so Japanese to film it yet not actually help. They either find it "mendokusai" to get involved or just simply think it's none of their business.

I'm glad the kid is okay.

@bicultural Thanks for the extra bit of information. So the goons not only wanted the girls to see them commit murder but also wanted to share with everyone else who couldn't come.

most Japanese won't get involved. I've gone through several of these onlookers only episodes here. Once a car accident in my neighborhood with the victim in the car while gasoline began spilling out while onlookers just stood around.

This is an area where westerners generally are better than Asians when it comes to helping people in distress. It's very touching when reading about strangers going out of their way to help other strangers in the USA.

Harassment happens everywhere in every country. Sad to say, it appears to be much more evident in a society where there is much more freedom in speech and coverage by the media. But most important, why is it so 'violent" in Japan and USA?

There has to be a discussion now on what or where are the causes to all this, rather than emotional opinions on the good and bad, moral or evil, and pointing of fingers at others who are given the task of monitoring such incidents, or even to give 'shock" treatments.

In Japan, where Buddhism supposedly prevails, there is very little evidence that people practice it or know what it teaches.

There is "cause and effect" and from what is evident, it is not just the system, but the entire society's approach to "social" values and acceptance of the roles and responsibility as a member of society. It is not so much in the level of values because they are apparently very high here in Japan, but how and why they honor it and put into practice. It appears to me that for the Japanese... much of it is a "facade".

To begin with it appears that there is very little of "love of country" or even "love of each other" in what the Japanese people actually do today. Like in many other countries there is much "lip service" and no meaningful action.

With that attitude, it is difficult to find the real sources of the problems that the youths of Japan face today.

It appears that as many of you have been expressing that the people of Japan has just "love of self" and "self-righteousness." And most actions are based on "self-satisfaction" and "self-advancement" with very little regard for others other than for getting some kind of a "obligatory" reward.

That seem to indicate that people really do not "love" or "like" themselves enough.

Don't you think that if one loves or likes himself enough, he/she MUST make an effort to like, love and help others?

After all... as most would say.... its is "karma".

In Christianity... it is "Do onto others as you would want others do onto you."

Just to "prove" a point.

I just heard someone close by say "Why can't THEY do something about all this?"

Everyone here thinks that it is someone-else's problem.

Why can't people be "responsible" for their own society?

Is it another person's society and you are just visiting it?

Most Japanese people don't want to get involved with anything. They're like libertarians.

what has happen to japan? it seems like people here have been exposed to too, much western ideas and ways of life.

Crazy Joe - I would send them to a prison in L.A., Chicago, or New York. That would definitely scare them.

alright japan - ministry of education and blah blah blah - IS IT REALLY GETTING OUT OF HAND NOW?!?!?!?!?!

@kazetsukai "Why can't THEY do something about all this?" Do you recall the dog video that went viral after the tsunami? A two man camera crew went out to a tsunami devastated area and found a dog staying beside his injured buddy? They hoped somebody else would take care of those poor dogs. It didn't occur to them to try to get those dogs to a vet or contact someone who could help. (They didn't say "I will alert a rescue organization so they could take care of those poor things.")

@Sylvester Haynes "what has happen to japan?" I have noticed a change from the 80's Japan vs 21st century Japan. During the bubble era, on one hand, you've got the helpful and polite Japanese who go out of their way to make sure you (fellow Japanese and gaijins) are all right then on the other hand, you've got the arrogant Japanese who hated gaijins ("Shoo! Shoo! Don't even LOOK at my ads! We don't rent to gaijins!"). Back then, people on the trains/buses gave up their seats to oji-chan/oba-chans quick as can be. Now, it's the norm not to be neighborly. I've traveled to quite a few prefectures in the last several months and what an eye opener! Bubble era Japan was so much more better. I remember around the late 80's, there was an instance of "ijime" that made the news. I was on the train and there were some boys who were starting to fight. Commuters were not turning a blind eye. Everyone seemed ready to intervene. A monk stepped in and separated the two with strong arms holding the boys apart and reprimanded them. I think everyone was thinking of the bullying incident that had taken place recently. There was a collective sigh of release and everyone was thankful for the monk.

Bubble era Japan was so much more better.

Well the people in the Bubble era created the Japan of today.

People were standing there watching? Gross, oh my god. Bystander Effect at its worst, feel like the people posting pictures should be arrested too, tbh.

I'm glad this is a bullying story that has a (somewhat) happy ending - the kid is okay (?) and the bullies are in prison, where they belong...

@Thomas Anderson

Ergo, Bubble era Japan was indeed better. You just reconfirmed DenTok2009's statement.

Back on topic please.

Ergo, Bubble era Japan was indeed better. You just reconfirmed DenTok2009's statement.

So the Bubble era people ruined it. Your point? Or are just going to obsessively refute anything I post?

Ted Barrera, my point was that the people in the Bubble era are responsible for Japan's society of today. What you're saying is completely obvious and misses the point entirely.

And they'll probably just be made to apologize to the victim and let go an in 'Otsu-like' gesture of trust. No doubt they said they were just 'fooling around'.

Does anyone know what will happen to the three boys? They're arrested but for how long?

Maybe AKB48 could make a campaign against bullying. Then we could pick which AKB48 member was most popular.

@Yubaru People get involved much more often than not outside of Japan. Sure, some people just can't be bothered or are afraid of getting involved but it seems in Japan the chance of a Japanese stepping in to help is zilch.

If all you read is what is here on JT then you are living with your head in the sand. There are plenty of people that get involved here when they see things that are going on that are not "right".

It's no better or worse here than other places in the world and I could just as easily put up links here to incidents that are many times worse than what was written in this article to incidents that happened in other countries as well.

People are naive to think that this is "just" a Japanese phenomenon, it's not.

Haven't you guys & gals seen J-dramas? The punks that dye their hair are just misunderstood, and if given the chance, they will put on tights and do group gymnastics like good boys. Haha.

Jokes aside, being bullied is very scary. I grew up in CA in the mid 80's during the gang boom. Bullet holes in home and car, everybody carried weapons. Having a gun pointed at you sucks. Not being able to look and move around freely sucks, and being jumped really sucks.

My dad taught me that bullies are a) always bigger than you, and b) often not alone, and that c) best thing to do is punch a bully square in the nose before anything else happens. Bullies don't like broken noses, and they will think twice about bullying the kid that fights back hard.

Japanese kids often don't have parental guidance. Sadly, they often don't have dads around at all. So some of the "furyo" kids are probably just acting out of fear - fear of not belonging, etc - and joining up with gangs or other bullies or group hazings. Not saying it's justified because Japan is pretty darn safe and you don't need to be in a gang to stay alive, but the parents are also to blame for not providing a healthy home/family atmosphere.

We had a 16-year old exchange student for a year in the US, and his first words in broken English in front of my two bright-eyed boys were "I hate kids." Needless to say, I put a big heavy shovel in that skinny Japanese kid's hands, and made him hand dig footings with me for a huge home being built by my construction business. Lots of blisters haha! Whipped his scrawny butt and selfish attitude right into shape after a year of chores and random labor and also being nice but not spoiling him. Magically... he started helping out ON HIS OWN!! The kid ended up loving our family and had fantastic English and "felt a pain in his chest" when he had to leave. Last I heard, he actually helps his poor slave J-mom with laundry and cooking!

Moral of the stories?

Put kids to work daily, make them contribute to the family daily Japanese dads- stop cheating on your wives and working tons of overtime, and come home daily and be a real man who puts being a father and husband ahead of getting drunk with work buddies late at night and doing stupid things. Bullies in Japan watch out- my boys will be flattening your noses if you try to hurt people

And If I see you bullying, I'll drag your scrawny trash to the local police station and even your shallow girlfriends won't hang out with you anymore after you pee your pants from the big ugly gaijin that jujitsu submits you in 2 seconds. Or even worse- my cute little wife will see it, and flatten you without hesitation. How embarassing will that be? Don't worry, we won't hurt you- but you'll probably be hired as the newest recruit by my construction company to dig ditches!

What's the problem with Japan bystanders? Or the guys on the train not giving seats to old ladies who can barely stand? Not sure, but any poor aging woman gets my seat, and any poor drowning kid is gonna get my help right away.

We love Japan, and plan to stay here. Bullying happens everywhere, and Japan is still the safest & cleanest country in the world in my opinion. My boys are going to be put in a Japanese school. We'll all do our best to deal with the issues, reach out & help the bullied and the bullies too. Maybe even help a few J-dads realize that being sober and monogamous is actually cool.

There were also some onlookers who filmed the incident with their cell phones and posted images on the Internet, TBS reported.

wow, just wow

There were onlookers...

They took the time to video it, and thats it?

Japan, the morally bankrupt country. again.

Russ, I'm with you! I live here with my family and I'm ready to step in whenever anybody needs a hand. Bullies beware and stay out of my sight! I will not stand and watch, but I will make sure you receive the medical attention you need after I finish with a little behavioral counseling!

The Japanese education system teaches too much conformity and oppresses the creativity and expression of emotions at a young age and hence as a result these kids grow up like that. Bullying is due to weak self esteem and lack of confidence in tackling life's difficulties.

A lot of this type of behavior has to do with poor parenting.

This type of bullying will continue in JP because there is no real punishment for bullies. The bullies are just copying the corporate wrong doers who just bow their heads, admit their errors and resigning. Need strong punishment, like sending these kids to chain-gang work parties for couple of months.

Police say the boys have confessed to the charge. There were also some onlookers who filmed the incident with their cell phones and posted images on the Internet, TBS reported.

Er... why didn't they try to stop them?