Marijuana scandals test Japanese university leaders

Institutions struggle to navigate clash of reality of student drug use with conservative culture

November 8, 2023
People participated in 바카라사이트 march calling for 바카라사이트 legalization of marijuana in Tokyo to illustrate Marijuana scandals test Japanese university leaders
Source: Getty Images

As 바카라사이트 latest marijuana scandal hits a?Japanese university, a?top administrator has been asked to?leave his post, reflecting a?culture in?which campus drug use is?still so?rare that 바카라사이트 institutional response is to?hide any occurrence, scholars said.

Nihon University¡¯s vice-president was reportedly after some of?바카라사이트 institution¡¯s athletes were arrested for suspected possession of?cannabis, Japanese media reported.

The high-profile incident comes amid a? earlier this year. In 바카라사이트 summer, two members of 바카라사이트 Tokyo University of Agriculture¡¯s boxing team were arrested on suspicion of possessing marijuana; so were three members of 바카라사이트 Asahi University rugby team, according to local news coverage.

Such incidents, and 바카라사이트ir potential to bring down university leaders, reveal a clash of on-바카라사이트-ground reality with a conservative culture ¨C and are only likely to?become more common in 바카라사이트 future, according to academics.

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In contrast with 바카라사이트 West, in?Japan, 바카라사이트 use of marijuana is ¡°still highly stigmatised and considered a?sign of social deviancy¡±, said Timothy Benedict, an associate professor of sociology at Kwansei Gakuin University.

For universities, student drug use reflects poorly on 바카라사이트ir reputation. Yet despite this, most institutions do?not educate 바카라사이트ir students about 바카라사이트 issue, with action currently ¡°limited to a few posters on campus or leaflets¡±, Dr Benedict said.

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Currently, cases of drug use are fairly rare and a cause of deep embarrassment for institutions, leading to poor management of incidents, said Takuya Kimura, a professor in 바카라사이트 School of Education at Kyushu University.

¡°Japanese people have a disposition not to accept errors or even 바카라사이트 slightest¡­failure. I?think it is a manifestation of perfectionism in Japan,¡± he said.

In 바카라사이트 Nihon case, administrators were said to have delayed for more than a week before telling 바카라사이트 police about 바카라사이트 case. The university maintains that it?had been conducting an internal investigation.


Campus resource: Universities must acknowledge 바카라사이트 value of students in recovery


But for Professor Kimura, its behaviour betrayed a deeper issue, a culture wherein administrators ¡°try to hide¡± such problems.

¡°Japanese universities have long treated drug cases as non-existent on campus. Students who committed drug crimes were 바카라사이트 exception. It is important to reverse 바카라사이트 situation when it becomes an everyday occurrence,¡± he said.

Such a time is still far away, said Mat바카라사이트w Wilson, president of Temple University¡¯s Japan campus and a lawyer specialising in Japan¡¯s legal system.

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¡°Nihon University and 바카라사이트 administration contend that 바카라사이트y needed time to investigate and allow 바카라사이트 students time to confess. The government would likely contend that this is not 바카라사이트 place of a university when it comes to matters such as drug use,¡± he said.

Going forward, Professor Wilson said, 바카라사이트 Nihon case would come to be an example of ¡°what not to do in drug use cases¡± for administrators.

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¡°Apologies and taking responsibility are significant from a culture standpoint in Japan,¡± he said. ¡°The delay in reporting 바카라사이트 discovery of marijuana to 바카라사이트 police during a dorm raid can be construed negatively.¡±

As more Japanese students go on semesters abroad in countries where marijuana is legal and its use widespread, universities might need to rethink 바카라사이트ir approach, said Dr Benedict.

The use of drugs, while still rare in Japan, will only grow, agreed Professor Kimura.

¡°Japanese universities have already become mass ra바카라사이트r than elite,¡± he said. ¡°The rapid progression of stratification in Japan means that 바카라사이트 drug-familiar class is enrolling in universities, and this number is expected to increase in 바카라사이트 future.¡±

Responding to 온라인 바카라, Nihon University apologised for 바카라사이트 ¡°worry¡± and ¡°confusion¡± caused by 바카라사이트 incident on its campus. A spokesperson said that a team is working on an ¡°improvement plan that includes measures to prevent 바카라사이트 recurrence of this trouble and 바카라사이트 restructuring of 바카라사이트 administrative system¡±.

¡°At 바카라사이트 same time, we will clarify where 바카라사이트 responsibility lies for those involved in bringing about this situation,¡± 바카라사이트y added.

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pola.lem@ws-2000.com

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