# Japanese school bullying and truancy policy response > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/japanese-school-bullying-and-truancy-policy-response > Updated: 2026-10-23T09:19:00.000Z. Sources: 2. Developments: 2. Japan is implementing new guidelines and local measures to address school bullying and student truancy. Recent developments include new reporting requirements in Sapporo, where the Board of Education mandates investigations after three to five consecutive days of student absence. Legal shifts are also emerging, with district courts recognizing negligence in cases of teacher harassment. Educational discussions are moving away from forcing truancy-prone students back into traditional classrooms, focusing instead on individualized education for those recovering from bullying or managing developmental disabilities. In response to bullying-related suicides, municipalities such as Kure City and Otsu City are strengthening prevention strategies. These efforts include utilizing third-party committee reports, assigning veteran teachers to specialize in bullying response, and using technology like tablets to create safer environments for students to disclose issues. ## Timeline ### 2026-10-23: Japanese municipalities implement measures to prevent bullying-related suicides Municipalities in Kure and Otsu, Japan, are implementing new educational policies and specialized teacher assignments to prevent bullying-related suicides. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/japanese-municipalities-implement-measures-to-prevent-bullying-related-suicides ### 2026-09-29: Japan addresses school bullying and student truancy through new guidelines Japan is seeing shifts in educational policy as schools and boards of education implement new guidelines to address bullying, teacher harassment, and the evolving needs of students facing truancy. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/japan-addresses-school-bullying-and-student-truancy-through-new-guidelines --- Cite as: Japanese school bullying and truancy policy response. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/japanese-school-bullying-and-truancy-policy-response