Hiroshima man held for burning girlfriend’s 4-yr-old son with cigarette

Wednesday 15th April, 09:40 AM JST

HIROSHIMA —

A 37-year-old man was arrested for assault on Tuesday, accused of burning his partner’s son with a cigarette on the night of April 6. Police said Kazushi Yoshida, a truck driver and resident of Hiroshima City, is accused of pressed a lit cigarette on the 4-year-old boy’s forehead.

The boy suffered burns that are expected to take a month to heal, police said. Yoshida has denied the allegation and told police he was working that night.

Staff at the boy’s nursery school noticed the injury and called a children’s welfare center, who called police. Police said the boy had been living with Yoshida in Hiroshima City since June last year, along with his mother and older brother, but that the welfare center had taken the boy into its custody twice.

Police said they had received information that the boy’s older brother had also been assaulted, and are investigating if the boys were subjected to abuse on a regular basis.

News reports

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Latest 15 of 30 Total Comments Show All

Den Den at 01:50 PM JST - 15th April

Special thanks to the school staff. If it wasn't for their concern, these kids would suffer indefinitely.
elbudamexicano at 01:51 PM JST - 15th April

I would love to shove burning Cuban cigars into this bastard's (37 year old hiroshima truck dirver) eyes! See how much he would enjoy it then! BTW I would love to meet him too, with a bit a gasoline in hand and use his own lighter! BOOOM! Make even the Taliban proud of me!
USARonin at 01:55 PM JST - 15th April

If this is true, why the heck is this mother allowing this guy to be under the same roof as her children?

As the stats say, the mother is the one mostly likely to abuse her child, and if she isn't doin' it herself, then it's bein' done in her presence.

This all began with the mother's selfish choices.
Patrick Smash at 01:58 PM JST - 15th April

buggerluggs, I don't support the death sentence because it's too easy for people like this. I would approve of a Singapore-style caning, carried out in public (hopefully by me) as fair initial punishment in cases like this. Then a small, dark cell with my mate Mandingo, where edification could be completed. Then a double knee-capping on release from prison, and then...

The rest of this post would be censored, so I'll stop there.
dennis0bauer at 03:20 PM JST - 15th April

They realy "love" their kids -__-
sydenham at 04:02 PM JST - 15th April

I wonder if there would be less child abuse if the divorce/ single-parent rate were lower. just thinking through my fingers. there are always too many cases like this, but a disproportionate number seem to invlove step parents or "boyfriends." not saying other stuff doesn't happen, just that this kind of thing is all too common. either that or it's more newsworthy, so to speak.
norinrad21 at 04:25 PM JST - 15th April

kids grow up, plot to kill the guy, all very messed up
sharky1 at 07:09 PM JST - 15th April

Burning children with cigarettes and hot lighters is a common practice in Japan. Another dirty little secret that they try to hide from the world. Sick, sick, sick...
BBLeo at 07:19 PM JST - 15th April

Monster and Barbarian. He should get life for such crime. Such crime should carry maximum penalty, and as I can see he is known to welfare previously and they didn't do anything. Don't forget to charge mother of children also or prescribe some canning. Both 'LA MERDE, LA MERDE.'
SpanishEyez37 at 09:18 PM JST - 15th April

Once again, another mom too concerned with keeping her man instead of taking care of her kids. And the fact that the child was taken twice and placed back in the abusive home blows my mind. Mom should be thrown in jail next to her boyfriend.
mindovermatter at 09:25 PM JST - 15th April

mmmmm.... I just might take that trip down to Hiroshima after all, and pay mr.Kazushi Yoshida a personal visit...
elbudamexicano at 11:46 PM JST - 15th April

there are many sick and twisted folks on these islands, this guy should be sent to somalia, on a ship with a huge american FLAG!
ca1ic0cat at 02:41 AM JST - 16th April

We should put this guy in a cell with the guy who has a problem with hammers.
sharky1 at 06:12 AM JST - 16th April

Nope...we should put him in cell with a predatory sex offender.
jewel at 04:03 PM JST - 17th April

This is so sad especially since the boy has already been taken into custody twice before. I wish the reporter would have not been so careless in reporting though. The reporter could have easily found out if the man had been working that night or not. Also I wonder if the 2 other abuse incidents came from this same man or the mother. Anyway this is really sad, and I agree w/USARonin and Sydenham that the mom bears a LOT of responsibility for this. I do think more abuse comes into play when a nonparent is put in a parenting position. Single parents shouldnt expect their kids to automatically fall in love, respect and obey the new parent. But that is the position the child is put in and when it doesnt happen the new inexperienced parent whose not at all equipped to deal with the resistence and baggage that child is carrying often overreacts. It is too much to ask of the child or the new "parent". The single parent bears responsibility, but of course the abuser doesnt get off the hook. They should get out of the relationship before they explode and admit theyve bitten off more than they can chew. If they stay, then they are choosing to walk on thin ice and must learn to accept and be patient with a troubled and perhaps difficult child.