Bullying Allegations Force Unprecedented Koshien Withdrawal

The storied Summer Koshien high school baseball tournament — a fixture of Japan’s sporting calendar for more than a century — has been jolted by the unprecedented withdrawal of Hiroshima’s Koryo High School. The decision came after revelations that senior team members assaulted a junior teammate earlier this year, thrusting one of the country’s most celebrated amateur events into crisis.

Principal Masakazu Hori confirmed the exit on Sunday, saying the school would “swiftly conduct an overhaul” of its education approach following what he described as a “deeply regrettable” incident. He stressed the move was also intended to shield students and staff from a surge of hostility in the wake of renewed public attention to the January assault.

An internal inquiry concluded that four senior players shoved and slapped the younger student in the school’s dormitory. The boy later transferred schools after receiving apologies from those involved. While the Japan High School Baseball Federation issued a formal reprimand in March, the ruling remained out of the public eye until online discussion reignited the controversy.

The fallout escalated quickly. Social media users demanded Koryo’s removal from the tournament; a bomb threat was reported; and some students were harassed during their commutes. Police have opened an investigation after the victim filed a formal complaint, and a third-party panel is examining further allegations from a former player. Head coach Tetsuyuki Nakai has been relieved of his duties pending the review.

Education Minister Toshiko Abe denounced the behaviour as “inexcusable” and urged the public to avoid spreading unverified accusations against people connected to the case.

The Koshien — staged every August at the Hanshin Koshien Stadium near Osaka — brings together 49 prefectural champions and draws millions of viewers nationwide. Since its debut in 1915, it has produced some of Japan’s biggest baseball stars, including MLB phenomenon Shohei Ohtani. Yet the tournament has long been shadowed by criticisms of its rigid hierarchies and grueling training culture.

Recent history underscores the persistent problem. In 2015, powerhouse PL Gakuen High ended its recruitment of new players amid reports of violence. In 2023, a prominent coach resigned following allegations of physical abuse. And just last month, organisers drew backlash for ordering players at a qualifying match not to smile or wave to fans during the opening ceremony, instead requiring a regimented march.

The Japan High School Baseball Federation called Koryo’s withdrawal “extremely regrettable” and reiterated its commitment to “eradicate violence, bullying and unreasonable hierarchical relationships.” Koryo’s exit — the first mid-competition withdrawal in the tournament’s 107-year history — automatically sends their second-round opponents forward.

A widely circulated clip from Koryo’s opening match last week added an emblematic final note: members of the losing team declined the customary post-game handshake. For a competition often hailed as the embodiment of Japan’s sporting ideals, the incident has forced an uncomfortable reckoning with the culture that surrounds its most cherished stage.

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