Do girls in Japan really have to wear panties in gym class?

Question:

Someone told me that in Japan girls have to wear panty things in gym class instead of shorts. Is that true?

Answer:

What is "panty things", anyway?

I think you are talking about buruma?
http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%83%95%E…

This thing went out sometime around 1990s. So it's not being used now.