Ponytails Are Prohibited In Japanese Schoolgirls' Hair, Fearing Their Napes Could Trigger Students' Sexual Arousal

Illustration of schoolgirls in Japan (Photo by Hakan Nural on Unsplash)

JAKARTA - There are rules in some schools in Japan that are quite strange. This rule is addressed to students. They are prohibited from wearing long hair ponytails to prevent sexual stimulation for students.

Schools in Japan are concerned that if students wear long hair in ponytails, they will open the nape of the neck so that it can trigger male students' sexual arousal.

"They are worried that boys will see girls, which is similar to the reasoning behind enforcing the only white underwear color rule," former high school teacher Motoki Sugiyama told Vice World News quoted by Wionews, Tuesday, March 15.

"I've always criticized this rule, but because the criticism is lacking and it's become so normal, students have no choice but to accept it."

"Many schools ignore notices that are not legally binding or that have no penalty," he added.

Schools in Japan have strict rules regarding hair color, accessories, make-up, and uniforms, including skirt lengths for girls.

Nearly half of high schools in Tokyo require students with wavy or non-black hair to submit certificates certifying that their hair has not been artificially altered, public broadcaster NHK reports.

Of the 177 secondary schools managed by the Tokyo Metropolitan government, 79 requested this certificate to be signed by a parent.

The Tokyo board of education told NHK that hair certificates are not mandatory.

In June last year, protests from students and parents over this regulation prompted the Japanese government to ask all prefectural education boards to revise the draconian school rules.