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A Japanese student is suing the management of her former high school for 3.7 million yen (S$46,800) after she was told to voluntarily drop out for dating, Japanese media reported.

Horikoshi High School, a private school within Nakano Ward, Tokyo, advised the student to voluntarily withdraw from the school after her relationship with another student was discovered in Nov. 2019.

At that time, the student had been in her third and final year.

Dating forbidden by school rules

According to Shizuoka Shimbun, dating between students is forbidden by the school.

As such, the female student was advised by the principal that she should voluntarily withdraw from the school as a result of her relationship, which she subsequently did so.

It is unclear if the same advice was given to the male student however.

Suing for mental distress

NHK News further reported that the female student subsequently launched her lawsuit against the school's management on the grounds of abuse of power.

She also asserted that she had suffered significant mental distress as a result of the incident, and that the school was too severe in advising that she withdraw.

In response, the school said that it will fight the lawsuit, at the trial's opening on Feb. 3, and called for the complaint to be dismissed.

Top photo by Dick Thomas Johnson via Flickr