How Japan and the US deal with the problem

One in every four students in the United States has reported being bullied during the academic year, according to a recent report published by the US National Center for Educational Statistics.

Georgia became the first state to implement anti-bullying legislation in the wake of the 1999 massacre at Columbine High School in Colorado, one of the worst school-related shootings in US history.

Since then, recognizing the dangerous long-term effects of bullying, the country has made efforts to eradicate it, and more than 120 bills have been adopted by state legislatures.

Hundreds of anti-bullying alerts are broadcast every day, and every state has policies against bullying and cyberbullying that are based on, but not limited to, race, color, national origin, gender, disability or religion.

Every school district must adhere to the policies, which include mandatory teacher training, counseling for victims and severe consequences for bullies when incidents are reported and proved.

School bullying is also a problem in Japan, and has prompted the formulation of more than 30 laws and regulations.

An anti-bullying law that outlines the responsibilities of schools and administrative authorities came into effect in 2013.

Japan’s Basic Policy on the Prevention of Bullying has recently worked toward devising policies that emphasize student education in accordance with social norms, greater teacher awareness and mandatory training about children’s rights. Elona Neal contributed to this story.