Japanese baby disposal box (... related)
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Dad dumps preschooler in box for unwanted newborns[/b]TOKYO, Japan (AP) -- A Japanese drop box for unwanted babies triggered a wave of nationwide soul searching Wednesday, a day after it was discovered a preschooler -- and not an infant -- had been dumped there by his father on its first day of operation.Nationally circulated newspapers warned that the anonymous drop-off, known as "Stork's Cradle," is open for abuse and could traumatize youngsters. They also condemned the father, saying his action could spur copycats.The drop-off was opened last Thursday by the Catholic-run Jikei Hospital in the southern city of Kumamoto to discourage abortions and the abandonment of children in unsafe public places. The same day, a boy believed to be 3 was found inside.The boy, who was in good health, reportedly said he was dropped off by his father, who was seen holding the youngster's hand as they approached the hospital. They apparently rode Japan's bullet train to Kumamoto, but it was unclear where they lived."I came with Daddy," the boy was quoted as saying by the Mainichi newspaper.The find triggered a wave of outrage among political leaders on Tuesday, with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe saying "Anonymously throwing out a child is unacceptable." He urged parents to consult social workers for help if raising children gets too tough.Local media reported that the boy was able to identify himself by name. But it was unclear whether the father had been identified.The hospital has refused to comment on the case, citing privacy concerns, but said there were age limits on its drop-off service.Police have decided no crime was committed in the current case because the child was left in a situation in which it was not exposed to immediate harm, Kyodo News reported Wednesday."We must rethink the meaning of the baby drop-off," the conservative Sankei newspaper said in an editorial. "Unlike a baby, a toddler may suffer from trauma.""This little boy must be experiencing great loneliness. We urge his mother or father to come forward," the newspaper said, calling his abandonment "unforgivable."The Yomiuri newspaper said it was too early to judge the baby-drop, but said that it must be used for its original purpose of receiving newborns, not young children. Parents should also be encouraged to seek outside help before dumping their offspring.The Mainichi said the misuse of the box could inspire copycats.A small hatch on the side of the hospital has been set up to allow people to drop off babies into an incubator 24 hours a day.The drop box was created after a series of high-profile cases in which newborn babies were left behind in parks and supermarkets, triggering a public outcry and government warnings against abandoning babies.Copyright 2007 The Associated Presshttp://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/asiapcf/05/16/baby.drop.ap/index.html
Comments
this is the first question you come up with?
The first flippant one.
This is a very sad state of affairs.
I'm baffled by many aspects of culture but this doesn't strike me as anything unique to Japan. American kids get abandoned all the time.
Yea, my girl just said "we should have those in the U.S.". This is a fairly common news story, and that's only when they get left somewhere bad. I'm shure plenty wind up on orphanage stoops etc and you don't even here about it. It's one of those messed up things where you have to have a safe solution and work on the real problem from a different angle.
Several counties and states have made ER's a safe harbor, no prosecution drop off spots for Infants, but this was a 3 year old who might or might not remember it. It is twisted becuase I just cant help but invision a bank hatch or postal box to put a child in Japan, but at least there is kind of a solution like you said. A parent who goes this route probably needs some help parenting anyways, I think hopefully it would be a rare case if the parent was abusing the system, it is pretty drastic.
What, to dump his 3 year old son off?
I think some of you are missing the point of the article.
ahh, I missed it.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=7730566
And here's more on how the U.S. deals with the issue:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=7761664
Honestly its probably better that this loser dumped his kid off than continued to keep him in his custody. Something tells me he wasn't much of a father
12th Century European culture consistently baffles me.
Just give it some time, and then you'll find it most excellent.
YESSSSSS
but kids can be pretty nasty too
Tokyo - A teenage boy holding a severed head appeared at a police station in northern Japan on Tuesday, saying he killed his mother, an official said.
The 17-year-old boy turned up at the police station in Aizu Wakamatsu city in Fukushima prefecture with the severed head, local police official Hisayoshi Watanabe said.
Kyodo News agency said the boy was later arrested and charged with murder.
The boy told police officials that he killed his mother but it was not immediately clear if the head was the mother's, according to Watanabe.
No other details were immediately available, Watanabe said.
Kyodo News agency said that the boy, a high school senior, brought the head in a bag. A body without a head has been found in the boy's apartment, Kyodo said.
So it would be ok if he left a business card?