But teachers and pupils talk increasingly of a ''collapsed class'' syndrome which can range from small incidences of lax discipline to violence and even murder at schools. The breakdown in discipline is being blamed on an increasingly individualistic society and coping with it is proving a sharp learning curve for all concerned.
Official figures show that violence in Japanese schools is on the rise.
In 1998, the latest year for which annual figures are available, cases of violence rose 25.7 percent compared to the year before. A total of 29,685 cases were reported at primary, junior high and middle schools. Most of the incidents were between students, but violence against teachers also rose 19.2 percent. Government officials said students were expressing their frustration and stress through violence and were less able to exercise self-control. One teacher suffered a fractured cheekbone.