Raising concerns over Japanese students' health, the issue of heavy school bags, or "randoseru," frequently makes the headlines. The weight of school supplies often surpasses the recommended threshold for children, leading to potential back health issues. Various initiatives are being considered to reduce the burden that students are carrying daily, such as digitizing textbooks and encouraging the use of lockers at schools.

In Japan, education is highly valued, and students often carry a large amount of school material with them, creating a heavy backpack. There's growing concern about how this affects children's health and well-being, with social values involved including the paramount importance of education and the physical well-being of children.

In comparison, both Europe and the US place importance on the comfort and health of students when it comes to school backpacks. They've long been applying recommendations which target a student's backpack weight not exceeding 10-15% of their body weight. Also, the use of lockers is much more prevalent, relieving students from carrying all their books all day.