Handcuffed girl's death shows social codes shattered: Akahata editorial, September 11, 2001 (excerpts)

The news has shocked the society: A male teacher of a junior high school was arrested on suspicion of detaining and causing the death of a girl student of another junior high school who was found dead and handcuffed on the Chugoku Expressway in Kobe City.

The suspect reportedly came to know the victim through a telephone dating club. The special telephone network can be said to be the hotbed of men buying sex, in which girls under age are involved.

An urgent need is to establish social rules concerning telecommunications to defend young people.

According to a survey, the number of teachers who were punished for obscene acts is the highest ever. Sex crimes by such public service employees as judges have also increased.

To begin with, people in these occupations need to be trusted by the people and society. The increase of heinous crimes committed by people holding such jobs can be taken as a sign that social and moral codes are disintegrating.

Against this backdrop, it is more important than ever to strike back the trend which tries to hold human values in contempt and to set up sound morals of the citizens.

What should be rejected is stricter administrative controls on teachers in the name of "study and training."

Instead, it is necessary for the society as a whole to work to improve the levels of social morals and to operate social regulations. (end)