22-year-old couple arrested for burning 2-year-old son with hair dryer

Wednesday 15th July, 10:58 AM JST

KANAGAWA —

A man and his wife, both 22, were arrested on charges of domestic violence for burning their oldest son, 2, by pressing a hair dryer against various parts of his body at their home in Yamato, Kanagawa Prefrecture, police said Wednesday.

Police said they initially received a call on Tuesday, in which the caller said a boy had drowned in the bathtub. An ambulance was dispatched to the home and the unconscious boy was transported to a nearby hospital where staff noticed burn scars and bruises all over his body, and notified police.

Police arrested Kenji Nishiyama and his wife Ayumi. They have admitted to the charge of abuse, police said. The husband was quoted as saying they had been disciplining the boy since May by pressing a hair dryer against his leg.

The boy remains in a stable condition, police said.

News reports

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Latest 15 of 48 Total Comments Show All

elbudamexicano at 09:03 PM JST - 15th July

This is the rock bottom scum of Japan! 22 years old? Let me guess, jr. high lovers? Tried to go on to high school but dropped out because honey bunny got pregnant? Now, they have an unwanted child, they do not know what to do, when they want to keep having sex like back in high school? The 2 year is hungry, lonely cries, so this scum bag of a father thinks it is ok to torture the child? Time to hang this scum bag couple!
cleo at 09:20 PM JST - 15th July

Let me guess, jr. high lovers? Tried to go on to high school but dropped out because honey bunny got pregnant?

How's your maths? Two-year-old child, 22-year-old parents, works out at conception at age 19. High school over and done with.

They probably thought the hairdryer burn was more effective than a smack.

Poor baby.
Bunchan1 at 09:54 PM JST - 15th July

The boy remains in a stable condition, police said. But the emotional scars will remain for a lifetime! What can a two year old child do to deserve that? Not even animals do that!
womanforwomen at 09:55 PM JST - 15th July

abromofo, that was exactly what I was saying. English is not my first language.

My friends here have loads of problems with regard to family life housing etc. Living in small congested homes is not healthy physically and mentally. On holidays when you want to breath some fresh air, the places are crowded again. This is no excuse for the strange people who acted irresponsibly with the child.
sharky1 at 10:14 PM JST - 15th July

Keep an eye on JT...you will see that domestic violence will be reported more and more. I have seen children burned with hot lighters for punishment. No problem in notifying the authorities. Glad to see that they are finally starting to move on this issue.
usaexpat at 11:31 PM JST - 15th July

So the birth rate is declining but not among the morons, incompetents and abusers. Eye for an eye, I would be happy to mete out the punishment to this couple with my hair dryer.
abromofo at 12:02 AM JST - 16th July

This reminds me of an incident involving a Japanese friend (who is no longer a friend) being suspected of child abuse in New Zealand. The NZ authorities are very quick to act on things like this. While having a routine medical check, the staff noticed an adult sized BITE MARK on the arm of her 6 month old daughter. The Japanese mother made up some bollocksy story about accidentally biting her daughter while asleep.

The Japanese mother was taken by surprise that welfare services became involved, and she tried to get help from her friends to defend her actions. This is about the time I stopped talking to her.

To me, it indicates that this kind of thing may go on more commonly in Japan compared to other developed countries. I seriously doubt it was an accident. And I think the mother thought she could get away with it, and was not expecting to be suspected of abusing her child.

You have to start wondering how this can go on in Japan. I believe that behind Japan's modern cities and seemingly dignified population is something a bit... rough.
ca1ic0cat at 01:12 AM JST - 16th July

Let me guess, the knuckleheads thought that the boy would stop crying if they burned him?

I sometimes wonder if abusive parents should suffer the same abuse that they meted out to their kids. That would be cruel and unusual punishment, of course. But it might get the point across.

Perhaps sterilization of the parents and the kids put up for adoption is a better route.
Icewind007 at 03:07 AM JST - 16th July

Let me guess, the knuckleheads thought that the boy would stop crying if they burned him?

It's more about the child-like instinct to hurt who you don't like. It doesn't have to make any sense to them. Makes them feel better. Too many parents are too childlike to respond to a cry or mistake from a young child to handle it properly...

And the "disciplining" in the news article was probably the best excuse they (parents and therefore the police) could come up with. It really had little to do with it.
darkaura at 04:24 AM JST - 16th July

I'm just going to say this if I ever have a child during a sucessful time in my life and that gets taken away nothing will change I would love the child to (not literally) death. Even if the mom had to work as a hostest, and I was out of a job the childern comes first, I would give them clothing and food even before I would eat and buy new clothes for myself. I would always shower them with love and affection. I wasn't raised the greatest, but I used how I was raised as a realisation of what not to do.

Someone give that child a good home please.
Triple888 at 06:39 AM JST - 16th July

Discipline by burning? Is this Nazi Germany or Manchuria China?

No it's in modern Japan. Read the article.
griff at 09:57 AM JST - 16th July

married at 18/19, kid at 20, but i very much doubt anyone around the couple suggested that perhaps they were rushing into things. both would be getting slapped on the back for fulfilling their societal obligations so prudently. parents are terrified of their children not get married. getting married too young is not considered an issue
womanforwomen at 03:46 PM JST - 17th July

Even if the mom had to work as a hostest, and I was out of a job

While appreciating your comment about how you would take care of your child, I am little disappointed at the way you think you would solve your problems in the future.

If there is no way to make ends meet, you have resolved that your would be wife will become a hostess? Think! Being a hostess to save a family is a silly and lazy idea.
darkaura at 03:49 AM JST - 18th July

womanforwomen - I was making a refrence about another poster who said that the father of this child just stayed at home while the wife worked as a hostest. Would I make my wife work as a hostest? Hell No!!! Would I be lazy and not look for work? No! And honestly I should have mentioned this as well, I would look for a job while taking care of the child. Lets face it though a great percent of the problem today is that children don't get enough love.

If I did have to stay home because of no job, and my wife had a respectable job, I would then take on the responsiblities of making sure the house was clean, looking after the kids, and doing all the stuff that comes with being a stay at home parent.

If things were tight and we need to make ends meet, I would go to work for a temp agency, I am not ashamed of doing that. Work is Work. There is a piece of advice that I take to heart to this very day. When your paycheck is gone it's okay to have no money as long as these things are taken care of: There is a roof over your head, a bed to sleep on, clean clothes on your back, and food in your stomach. The extras are just that extras.

Womanforwomen again I thank you for your concerns and I hope I cleard them up.
TheguyNextdoor at 01:33 PM JST - 20th July

There is just no reason for the abuse, feel sorry for the boy. Both parents should be put behind bars for a reasonable amount. Sad sad story.