Hiroshima School Forced to Withdraw from Japan's Summer Baseball Tournament Due to Bullying Controversy
In August 2025, Koryo High School, a renowned institution located in the Hiroshima region of Japan, made headlines for a surprising reason - its sudden withdrawal from the prestigious Summer Koshien high school baseball championship. This decision came in the wake of a bullying scandal that had rocked the school's baseball team earlier in the year [1][2].
The Summer Koshien tournament, held annually at Koshien Stadium near Osaka, is a two-week event that has launched the careers of many prominent Japanese baseball players, including Shohei Ohtani and Yu Darvish. Koryo High's withdrawal marked the first known instance of a school pulling out mid-tournament due to a scandal involving player violence or bullying [1][2].
An internal investigation revealed that a first-year student had been physically assaulted by four senior teammates in the school's dormitory in January 2025. The revelation sparked a social media firestorm, leading to widespread public anger and calls for the school's withdrawal from the tournament [1][2].
The assault included shoving the victim in the chest and slapping his face. The victim was later transferred to another school after the assailants offered apologies [1][2].
The school's principal, Masakazu Hori, stated that the school would withdraw to safeguard its students and staff. He also emphasized the need for a comprehensive overhaul of the institution's educational methods [1][2].
The Japan High School Baseball Federation, co-organizer of the Koshien tournament, described the withdrawal as "extremely regrettable" but reaffirmed its commitment to eradicating violence, bullying, and harmful hierarchical relationships in high school baseball [1][2].
This incident has brought to light persistent challenges around bullying and violence in Japanese high school sports, an issue the national baseball authorities are aiming to tackle more vigorously. The Japan High School Baseball Federation pledged to eliminate bullying, violence, and hierarchical abuses in high school sports [1][2].
The strict discipline and hierarchical norms in Japan's national obsession with high school baseball are being questioned, with many calling for a transformation in the culture to prioritize students' welfare and promote empathy and respect [1][2]. The incident also led to some students being harassed while commuting to and from school, and even a bomb threat against the school [1][2].
The incident at Koryo High School has sparked a conversation about the need to reform youth sports culture in Japan, with many hoping that this unfortunate event will lead to positive changes in the future.
Key points:
- Bullying incident involved a first-year baseball team member assaulted by seniors at dormitory (January 2025)[1][2].
- Public and social media backlash prompted calls for withdrawal from the tournament.
- Koryo High became the first school to withdraw mid-Koshien over such a scandal.
- The principal commits to reforming educational and team culture post-incident.
- Japan High School Baseball Federation emphasizes continued efforts against violence and bullying[1][2].
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