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Friday March 29, 2024

Seven-year-old boy missing in Japan forest found alive  

By AFP
June 03, 2016

Tokyo: A seven-year-old boy missing since his parents abandoned him in a bear-inhabited forest in northern Japan nearly a week ago was found alive on Friday, a rescuer said.

"The boy was found alive, but we don´t have information on details of his condition," Satoshi Saito, a fire department rescuer, told AFP. Saito said the boy identified himself as Yamato Tanooka.

The boy had been missing since Saturday after his parents said they made him get out of their car on a mountain road as punishment for misbehaving.

He was reportedly without food or water.

The parents originally told police their son had got lost while they were out hiking to gather wild vegetables -- but later admitted they were angry and tried to punish him because he had thrown stones at cars and people.