25 babies left at Kumamoto baby hatch in fiscal 2008

Tuesday 26th May, 07:01 AM JST

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womanforwomen at 01:45 PM JST - 26th May

My thoughts are similar to those of Disillusioned and smithinjapan. If a young mother gave birth to a baby when she was not ready or whatever the reason thinks that she is not able to bring up that child due to economic reasons. She leaves the baby and she walks away. She is unable to carry that burden. But then she is sure to take care of herself. She is sure to survive she thinks. Then why can't she think that she will do the same with the baby she has given birth to. Is it too much to ask? If she can survive, then she might as well help that helpless baby she gave birth to, to survive.
Coolasapool at 02:27 PM JST - 26th May

why "fiscal"? why not just 2008?

Moderator: Fiscal 2008 ended on March 31.
USNinJapan2 at 02:43 PM JST - 26th May

Coolasapool

Because the fiscal year doesn't coincide with the calendar year. Japanese fiscal year is 01 April to 31 March. The US fiscal year is 01 October to 30 September. The data provided by the hospital was evidently collected from 01 April, 2008 through 31 March, 2009 and so it's 'fiscal 2008' vice just plain (calendar) 2008.
Den Den at 02:47 PM JST - 26th May

It is good news. A little creative thinking and guts has given these infant citizens a better future. Like needle exchange, free contraction and termination on demand, human life can be improved greatly. Well done!
Disillusioned at 03:03 PM JST - 26th May

As much as this does seem to be good news there is an alarming factor. This is the one and only baby hatch in Japan. It is in one city in one prefecture. If one was to extend this statistic to the whole of Japan using just one city in each of the 48 prefectures as a base for calculation that would mean there could be 1200 babies placed in hatches across the country every year. Am I the only one hearing alarm bells? Damn sure the Jp government doesn't hear them.
timtak at 03:05 PM JST - 26th May

Coolasapool - All the same there is something rather sad about the way the babies were counted during the fiscal year, like assets or liabilities.
TheguyNextdoor at 03:12 PM JST - 26th May

The hospital was able to contact six of the children’s parents and three children were picked up later.

Are you serious!? Returning them to the people who didn't want them?! WTF!
Disillusioned at 03:28 PM JST - 26th May

TheguyNextdoor - Are you serious!? Returning them to the people who didn't want them?! WTF!

It does seem an odd way of approaching things, but this is Japan and it makes perfect sense for people to believe these kids are better off with their maternal parents regardless of how inept they are. Don't forget 24% of Japanese adults have mental illness so even if they do get fostered there is nearly a 25% chance they will end up with loons anyway.
soldave at 03:36 PM JST - 26th May

USNinJapan2 - Thanks for that. What is the actual age limit for the baby hatch?

And it is bizarre why they are using the fiscal year. Maybe the figures look better if you do it that way.
USNinJapan2 at 04:15 PM JST - 26th May

soldave

I don't think it's a matter of one looking better than the other but that the fiscal year is used vice the calendar year most likely because the hospital, like many companies and organizations, track their various data on the same schedule as their accounting, which is usually on the fiscal system because taxes (administered by the government) are on the fiscal year cycle. The hospital would have to re-compile their existing data to present it by calendar year, that's all...
USNinJapan2 at 04:16 PM JST - 26th May

Disillusioned

...each of the 48 prefectures...

48? Last time I counted it was 47. Did they finally split up Hokkaido...? : P
Tahoochi at 04:29 PM JST - 26th May

It is in one city in one prefecture. If one was to extend this statistic to the whole of Japan using just one city in each of the 48 prefectures as a base for calculation that would mean there could be 1200 babies placed in hatches across the country every year.

Disillusioned: That's what I thought at first too, until I read the whole article. It doesn't say how many different prefectures the babies are from, but it seems like people who know about this facility bring the babies from pretty far away... which brings up another alarming factor that I have already mentioned: we still hear about babies being left to die... the mothers of those babies either did not know about the facility, or possibly thought it was too far to go to Kumamoto (thinking about the latter makes me very sad)
dishdash at 06:17 PM JST - 26th May

This is both good and bad news. Good news in that at least people are aware of this, bad in that it seems to happen all too frequently in Japan. They really need to think about birth control a bit more here...for some reason pregnancies seem more prevalent - maybe Japanese have a more "que sera sera" attitude but it does need to change. With an aging population and immature offspring - it will be a case of watch this space.
beavis at 12:06 AM JST - 27th May

smithinjapan

The parents don't deserve them anyhow, and there are plenty of people who can't have babies of their own who would love to adopt them.

Its a real shame the government can't make this assessment and bring it to fruition.

TheguyNextdoor/Disillusioned

Are you serious!? Returning them to the people who didn't want them?! WTF!

Agree. This is scarier than the hatch itself.
Blackops at 03:17 PM JST - 27th May

Someone should teach there worthless parents about birthcontrol! If they do not want children then keep it in their pants!

I hope new loving families will be found for this children.