More than 40% of gay and bisexual male teenagers say they have experienced bullying, apparently because of their sexual orientation, a survey revealed. 20% of them turned to truancy or self-inflicted injuries as a way of coping.

The survey was conducted online by a research team led by Yasuharu Hidaka, a professor of social medicine at Takarazuka University's nursing school. Valid answers were given by around 20,000 gay and bisexual males nationwide between the ages of 11 and 71.

The survey found that those who had "never learned about homosexuality in elementary, junior or senior high school" totaled 41%, marking a significant drop from the 63% recorded in the previous poll by Hidaka in 2005. However, those who learned that being a sexual minority was "abnormal" or who received negative information about sexual minorities had increased to 30% from the 23% recorded in 2005. Read More via The Asahi Shimbun