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　　Education authorities in Japan are to discipline a teacher who forced two students to drink diluted hydrochloric acid, the latest incident to trigger concern over corporal punishment in the nation's schools.

　　The teacher, who has not been named but is from Gamagori, ordered the boys to drink the solution after they reported an incorrect result in a science experiment on January 18, the Nikkei Shimbun reported.

　　The incident only came to light when another student told his parents what had happened.

　　Officials of the local board of education in Aichi Prefecture, central Japan, said the teacher had informed them that the acid posed no danger to the children as it was diluted.

　　But the authorities were not convinced.

　　"As this incident posed a risk to the life and health of students, it was a grave failure of leadership and we can only apologise to the students and their families," the board said in a statement.

　　"We are currently deciding in disciplinary measures for the teacher involved."

　　The incident has focused new attention on the punishments meted out to children in Japan's schools.

　　Teachers are forbidden to use corporal punishment against pupils, but the suicide of a 17-year-old student on December 23 has demonstrated that it remains an integral part of school life here.

　　The boy was captain of the basketball team at Sakuranomiya Senior High School in Osaka and was repeatedly punished by his coach. The day before he was found hanging in his room, the boy was repeatedly slapped around the face for mistakes that he made in practice.

　　In a note to the coach that he never delivered, the boy wrote, "Even if I make the same mistakes as others, I get scolded harshly because I am the captain."

　　After the boy's suicide, 21 of the 50-strong basketball squad said they had been similarly punished by the coach.

　　Summoned by the local board of education to explain his actions, the coach said his methods were "a way to inspire the athletes."

　　In a press conference, an official of the board of education said, "We are truly sorry, but the fact remains that corporal punishment has never ceased to be practised at schools."

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　　(Agencies)

　　日本一名教师强迫两名学生喝下稀释的盐酸引发公愤，遭到教育部门的处罚。近期发生的这一事件也引发了公众对学校实行体罚的关注。

　　据《日经新闻》报道，在1月18日进行的科学实验中，由于两名男同学报错实验结果，这名教师(来自蒲郡，名字未予公布)令其喝下实验用的稀释盐酸。

　　在另一名学生告知父母后，此事才浮出水面。

　　位于日本中部爱知县的教育委员会官员表示，该教师向其透露这些盐酸已经过稀释，不会对孩子造成危害。

　　但日本教育部门并不相信。

　　委员会在一份声明中称，“由于该事件对学生的生命和健康造成影响，可见是领导层严重失职，而我们只能向学生及家长致歉”。

　　“目前我们已决定对该涉事教师实行惩罚”。

　　这一事件使人们再次关注日本学校中对学生实行体罚这一问题。

　　虽然教师被禁止对学生实行体罚措施，但去年12月23日一名17岁学生自杀一事表明，日本学校仍存在体罚现象。

　　该男孩来自大阪樱宫高中，担任校篮球队队长，训练期间屡次受到教练处罚。在被发现自缢身亡的前一天，男孩因训练中出错屡次被教练掌掴。