Japan goes on student suicide watch as school term starts

Sayoko is watching her 13-year-old son more closely than he probably realises as he settles into his first year of junior high school in Yokohama.

He is keeping up with his classes and is fortunate to be popular because of his sporting prowess.

But Sayoko, who did not want to give her full name, remembers having a hard time at the same age, so she is alert to any sign that her son might be unhappy.

“I was not good at sport and did not have a large circle of friends and, of course, there were...