■Nathan Shiga. January 2

Just to show this column does opt to tell you from time to time things critical about Japan. Here is one of them – something unlikely to happen in otherwise peaceful Japan. A woman instructor of Megumi Kindergarten in Tachibana-cho, Amagasaki, Hyogo was arrested this afternoon, December 30, on suspicion of repeatedly slapping a 2-year-old boy to afflict an injury on December 27. The security camera recorded the scenes showing the woman instructor continually slapping and occasionally shaking the boy by his shoulders for over two hours.

The police investigation reveals that the instructor, Emiko Okada, 41, was trying to teach the boy how to tidy up his own wears and in so doing slapped the boy across his face, pushed him down and hit his ear to damage hearing.

The boy’s mother found out a scar on his ear and asked the boy how it had happened. He then whispered her the story – how his teacher had treated him. The mother then asked the police to check the security camera to check what had happened. And so, there goes the story.

The principal and his deputy met the press December 30 to apologize for an excessive use of force in the process of instruction.

The kindergarten story aside, Japan is a bit sensitive today to matters of “violence”, not to mention the recent case of Sumo Yokozuna Harumafuji. Our parents opt to overreact to how their kids are handled at school; teachers are more or less living in the age of trials.

Well, Japan Day to Day intends solely to pass on to you all that is newsworthy – even some discouraging news – to paint a well-balanced image of Japan. So, stay with us, folks.

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