12-year-old boy jumps to death off condo building

Wednesday 26th March, 06:08 PM JST

TOKYO —

A 12-year-old boy died Tuesday apparently after jumping from the 14th floor of a condominium building where he lived in Tokyo’s Itabashi Ward, leaving a note saying, ‘‘I would like to offer my apologies with my death,’’ police said Wednesday. Police said they suspect the boy committed suicide after returning home from attending a graduation ceremony at his elementary school.

The boy was found badly bruised on the ground around 1:30 p.m. Tuesday and subsequently taken to hospital but died about two hours later, according to the Shimura Police Station of the Metropolitan Police Department. He had no shoes on, police added.

The sixth grader attended the graduation ceremony at his school earlier in the day. While his fellow students cheered on cue at the ceremony, shouting, ‘‘We dearly love our school,’’ the boy yelled, ‘‘I hate my school,’’ according to the school principal.

Latest 15 of 32 Total Comments Show All

HonestDictator at 02:47 AM JST - 27th March

For crying out loud, he's 12 years old. While he may have more intelligence and "maturity" than the 12 year olds of the 50~80's he still had quite literally his whole life ahead of him. In 12 years of life he came to the rather rushed conclusion that life wasn't worth living, even though he didn't test the waters beyond elementary school. Sheesh.
zaichik at 04:39 AM JST - 27th March

I suspect something's been lost in translation with the "we dearly love our school" bit - not much different from the import of school songs such as "Floreat Rugbeia", really.

It's a pity that this child felt he had no other option than to end his life. There's nothing wrong with the "down with skool" sentiment - perfectly natural, in fact.
natsukomitsuki at 05:39 AM JST - 27th March

I'm not Japanese but, I remember from my readings that shouting "We love our school" or whatever isn't a culture thing...
Tahoochi at 07:08 AM JST - 27th March

Whatever issues the boy had at school, the parents are ultimately responsible. Schools are not responsible for raising our children... parents are.
cleo at 09:16 AM JST - 27th March

"I don’t think shouting “I love my school” is any stranger than “I pledge allegiance to the flag”. Most elementary and middle schools around the world have something like that" Or to put it another way, making kids shout 'I love my school' is just as strange as making them pledge allegiance to a flag. Most folk around the world probably think that's a really weird way to start the school day. I certainly do. None of the schools I attended in the UK or that my kids attended here in Japan had anything 'like that'. Heck, the (Japanese) parents here objected to even having a flag on display in the classroom.
ancientone at 10:33 AM JST - 27th March

He said he hated his school, not his parents or teachers or students. I hope this event causes the teachers and parents to talk with their children and find out if there is a problem. may he restt in peace.
monchy at 11:14 AM JST - 27th March

How sad. I don't see any problem with the "I love my school" thing since its probably meant in a "Thank you" way. But.. Where was his parents? I mean it was his graduation day right? There's clearly some problem with the parents.
sukebeoyagi at 12:32 PM JST - 27th March

I love school is just wrong, come on, on so many levels. Poor lad, sounds terrible...
kinniku at 02:59 PM JST - 27th March

kinniku: How is screaming “I love school” a culture thing?

Actually gogogo, if you read my post in response to yours you would understand that I was trying to explain that planned and regimented ceremonies (including planned speeches and planned performances) are very much a part of Japanese culture. What they said is not what is important. It is important to understand exactly how regimented graduation ceremonies in Japan are. That is why it has nothing to do with it being "fake". Maybe in your culture planning for participants to act in unison in a certain way might be considered "fake", but that is just not the case in Japan.
kinniku at 03:03 PM JST - 27th March

natsukomitsuki,

I’m not Japanese but, I remember from my readings that >shouting “We love our school” or whatever isn’t a >culture thing…

Your "readings" specifically said that?
kinniku at 03:09 PM JST - 27th March

sukebeoyagi,

I love school is just wrong, come on, on so many levels. >Poor lad, sounds terrible…

How is shouting "I love school" or whatever they actually said in Japanese any different than students singing their school song together or cheering their sports team on together or any other number of events like these? I think you all are focusing too much on the words as if the students have been brainwashed or something. It seems to me that it was just a performance that was part of the ceremony.
Tahoochi at 11:14 PM JST - 27th March

The "I love school" thing is irrelevant here unless the boy took his life because he hated to say "I love school", which is doubtful.

There is obviously something more than that going on at this school or in that boy's life. I think you guys are focusing on the wrong thing here.
Hughgarse at 09:21 AM JST - 28th March

" ‘‘We dearly love our school,’’ " how lame is that?

12year olds now offing themselves?? ridiculous!
kagunlapell at 04:35 PM JST - 28th March

the surreal thing for me is that of writing a note "apologizing"!!! it's so...Japanese.
flammenwerfer at 05:31 PM JST - 28th March

R.I.P little J-dude.