This theoretical and conceptual paper reexamines ijime (school bullying) in Japanese junior high schools as a structural outcome of institutional design, rather than a product of cultural norms or individual pathology. While previous studies have emphasized Japan’s group-oriented values or the limitations of moral education, this paper draws on social comparison theory, structural functionalism, and group dynamics to argue that ijime is embedded in the educational system’s organization of peer relationships. Age-based homogeneity, fixed classroom groupings, academic competition, and limited peer mobility collectively foster an environment where exclusion and scapegoating become normalized social practices. Recent government data reporting nearly 160,000 bullying cases in junior high schools underscores the urgency of this structural issue. To illuminate this dynamic, the paper compares Japanese schooling structures with alternative educational models—particularly Montessori education and project-based learning (PBL)—which emphasize multi-age collaboration, flexible grouping, and student agency. These models serve as structural counterpoints, demonstrating how peer diversity, cooperative learning, and role fluidity may reduce the conditions that give rise to bullying. The paper concludes with policy recommendations and calls for reform that address the architecture of schooling itself. Reframing ijime through a structural lens, this study contributes a fresh perspective to educational sociology and bullying discourse.

Authors:
Kenji Kaneko, Kyoto University of Advanced Science, Japan

About the Presenter(s)
Dr Kenji Kaneko is a University Associate Professor/Senior Lecturer at Kyoto University of Advanced Science in Japan

See this presentation on the full schedule – Friday Schedule

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