CHIBA (TR) – Chiba Prefectural Police have arrested two students at a public middle school over the alleged extortion of more than two million yen from a male classmate in Inzai City, reports NHK (June 15).
On three occasions last month, two 14-year-old boys allegedly beat the classmate, also 14, on the grounds of the school and extorted a total of 2.3 million yen in cash from him.
At the end of last month, the school consulted with police about the matter. After an investigation was launched, the boys admitted to the allegations to officers, with one saying that he “wanted money to purchase game software.”
Bullying and extortion are ongoing concerns, according to the Inzai Board of Education. In October of last year, there was another case of a student being extorted by a classmate.
“I am sorry about the concern this has caused to students and their guardians,” a representative of the board is quoted. “We will strive to understand the relationships students have one another as a part of efforts to prevent a recurrence.”