Osaka, Sept. 16 (Jiji Press)–A series of incidents involving students spraying pepper spray at schools occurred in the western Japan prefecture of Osaka on Wednesday. According to the prefectural police and other sources, a total of 48 people at a high school and a junior high school complained of sore throats and coughs. Two male students at the respective schools were arrested on the spot. At around 10:40 a.m., an emergency call reported that pepper spray had been used at Osaka University of Commerce Sakai High School in the city of Sakai. A second-year student at the high school discharged spray in a classroom on the second floor during a break, causing 24 students to complain of coughing and other symptoms, police sources said. Before his arrest, the student said he had used the spray just for fun. At about 2:20 p.m., a 14-year-old second-year student at a municipal junior high school in the city of Kaizuka discharged spray in a hallway. A total of 24 students and staff members complained of pain in their eyes and throats and were taken to hospital. The student told police that he did it for fun while playing with friends. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]
