70% of employers in Japan did not check sex offence database when hiring teachers
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Some 281 teachers at Japanese schools were subjected to disciplinary action or reprimand for sexual misconduct in 2024.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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TOKYO – Nearly 70 per cent of local governments and schools that hired teachers from April 2023 did not check a nationwide database of educators dismissed due to sexual misconduct, a study by the education ministry showed on Dec 22.
Despite employers being legally required to check the database during the hiring procedure, 42.7 per cent had not even registered to use it, according to the study, highlighting widespread non-compliance.
Many said they did not know that it is mandatory to do so.
The database was introduced in 2023 to prevent teachers with a history of sexual offences, such as assault or taking illicit photos of students, from returning to the profession.
The ministry began a nationwide survey of its use after several teachers were arrested for sharing voyeuristic images of students on social media in 2025. A ministry official said that it would reinforce awareness of the mandatory use of the database.
The survey, conducted from August to December and targeting boards of education, private school operators and national university operators, received responses from 11,981 local governments and school operators, of which 10,524 had hired teachers since 2023.
Only 30.6 per cent replied that they consistently used the database, with 42.7 per cent responding that they had not registered, 15.3 per cent saying they registered but never used it, and 11.4 per cent answering they had not used it in some cases.
Reasons for non-usage included “unaware it was legally required” and “a lack of proper understanding” on when to use the system. Usage among private school operators was notably low.
A separate ministry report released on Dec 22 found that 281 teachers at Japanese schools were subjected to disciplinary action or reprimand for sexual misconduct in 2024, down by 39 from 2023.
There were 134 cases involving students, including 38 cases of sexual intercourse, 34 involving voyeurism or peeping, and 31 cases of molestation.
Meanwhile, the Children and Families Agency on Dec 22 compiled draft guidelines for a system dating back 20 years to enable employers to check whether job applicants are registered sex offenders. KYODO NEWS
