A group of lawyers has established the first ever national anti-bullying defense network in Japan to help represent the families of children who killed themselves due to bullying.

Lawyer Genko Tsuda, a spokesman for the network, told a news conference that the number of bullying cases kept from the public eye is worrying, TV Asahi reported Monday. "Currently, we don't believe there really is any system for properly dealing with these very sensitive cases," he said.

The network of about 60 lawyers will represent bereaved family members as well as relatives of children on the receiving end of bullying and physical punishment at school by either students or teachers.

The network began with one lawyer who represented the family of a boy who killed himself in Otsu, Shiga Prefecture, in late 2011, after he was bullied by his classmates. The case gained nationwide media attention.

Along with the expanded coalition of lawyers and parents, over 20 anti-bullying defense consultation service centers have been opened nationwide in an effort to further help improve systems for dealing with cases of bullying, TV Asahi reported.

© Japan Today