Couple arrested for allowing 4-year-old daughter to die

I can't find the words to express how sad this is. I hope she haunts them for the rest of their days.

Is the only baby hatch in Japan in Kumamoto? This is another case where I think a baby hatch would come in handy. If you don't like your child, don't kill them, let them continue living with someone who appreciates them more.

Once again, parents were the cause of kids' death.

And, here is today's 'death by parent' article. We have been on a roll this week. One nearly every day.

OMFG!!!! Will this continue?Its the first week of a cool breeze that autumn brings, I remember the killings and the murres started end of spring and went on weekly for the rest of the summer... Where are the authorities, what are they dong about it? Social welfare workers should be assigned to visit homes with parents that seem questionable, abnormal lifestyles and most specially to single mothers. Would this be hard to implement, rather than hear news that another innocent life has been taken away?

RIP little one!!! I only wish your parents would get the same punishment, but they'll only get a slap on the wrist.

"Social welfare workers should be assigned to visit homes with parents that seem questionable, abnormal lifestyles and most specially to single mothers."

I understand your frustration, but there would be significant problems with your ideas.

For one thing, who determines exactly what "questionable" means? Who decided what an "abnormal lifestyle" is? And why go after single mothers "most specially?" Is there something about single mothers that automatically makes them bad parents? And what about single fathers? Are they somehow naturally superior child rearers when left on their own?

Finally, there's the matter of gross violations of fundamental rights to privacy, as well as freedom from unfair prosecution.

There is no practical way to implement your suggestions without turning society into a police state in which families can enjoy no privacy.

Not again!

Looks like JT needs to make a new category.

This is so sad! How can these kind of people just bring their children to the world, just to be neglected. Wonder how many unloved children are in Japan... Sad to know most japanese hide their true emotions, nothing but apperance..

I think it's a shame that our taxes will be feeding and accommodating them in prison for the foreseeable future - assuming they are sentenced.

parents need to be committed to an insane asylum.

didn't she have any grandparents? other family?

tragic and unbelievable.

This kind of news pops very often in japanese newspapers. Can this kind of neglect, child abuse, and so on and so forth be attended to by the municipalities. Can PM Noda do something abput this and order officials of every prefectures to look upon this matters. Pity those children. It is really so sad reading this.

I do pray for peace but these horrible monsters, what a terrible excuse for parents!! I wish they would lock them up and forget about feeding them!!! RIP little angel

Rest in Peace to the poor innocent Angel Anna.

These two evil individuals should spend the rest of their awful lives in solitary. Never to be released. But we all know they will get a very, very light sentence - likely between 5-10 years. Again I ask: who is looking after the children of Japan?

again ... anything new?

Said it before and I'll say it again it's tough being a kid in Japan.

This really is becoming a daily thing here in Japan, and that's only what's reported. Along with a cops' crime section to be added to this page, I think an infanticide column may well need be added.

This is simply disgusting. I hope the parents rot in prison. Poor, poor little girl.

It's terribly sad when cases like this occur, but actually Japan is one of the safest places in the world for a child to be raised. Look it up if you don't believe me.

not again!! if they don't want a child, use birth control. better still, go for vasectomy or something

I will say it again: If Japan's biggest threat is its declining and aging population, intentionally killing off Japan's future should be treated as a capital crime with a mandatory death sentence. Yes, that would result in an even LARGER population decline, but at least those who wished to remain living wouldn't starve their children to death. They would find alternative methods of relief.

But about that... It's my understanding that Japanese families - especially established, wealthy families - tend to shun adoption as it muddies the family line. If true, it is a shame because that means that most Japanese children put up for adoption will either remain in an orphanage until they legally become of age, or will likely be adopted by foreigners and moved to another country. The result is that Japan STILL ends up losing their children.