Japan Bomb Threat Ends School Early For 44,000

About 44,000 young children were sent home early in one Japanese city Tuesday when 101 elementary schools were closed because of a bomb threat, police and reports said.

Authorities in the central city of Hamamatsu acted after a man telephoned to claim he had planted an explosive device at an elementary school in the city, a local police spokeswoman said.

Pupils were sent home and police officers were dispatched to check every school in the city.