The number of public school teachers who were punished for obscene conduct reached a record-high 175 nationwide in fiscal 2002, which ended March 31, according to the education ministry.
Of those punished, 97, or 55.4 percent, were dismissed in disgrace, the Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Ministry reported.
In 92 cases, the victims were the teachers' students.
Meanwhile, the number of teachers who were punished for administering corporal punishment, which is prohibited under the School Education Law, also reached a record level, at 451, up from 424 in the previous year, the ministry said.
It added that a record 2,687 teachers took sick leave because of mental problems last fiscal year, accounting for 50.7 percent of all sick leave. This figure works out as one teacher in every 350.
The number of teachers punished because of their opposition to the use of the Hinomaru flag and "Kimigayo" anthem at school came to 44, down from 64 the previous year. Among them, 26 faced disciplinary punishment, of which 23 were from Hiroshima Prefecture, according to the ministry.