Couple Leaves Their 7-Year-Old Son in bear-infested woods As Punishment– as Japan's military joins search

 

The parents who left their young son in bear-infested woods as a punishment have admitted doing 'an unforgivable thing' as the search for him entered a fifth day.

Japan's military today joined hundreds of police and volunteers in the hunt for seven-year-old Yamato Tanooka who was abandoned in dense forest on Saturday afternoon.

His parents initially said he disappeared while they foraged for plants, but later admitted to police that they had disciplined him for being naughty.

They have now finally broken their public silence after social media erupted in anger towards them for being so neglectful.

Yamato's father, Takayuki Tanooka, said: 'We have done an unforgivable thing to our child and we have caused a lot of trouble for everyone. 

'I just hope he is safe.'

Seventy-five members of the Japanese Self-Defence Forces have joined 200 police and civilians beating their way through thick brush in the mountainous forest on Hokkaido island.

A local hunter was also added to the search for Yamato Tanooka after fresh bear tracks were found in the area where he vanished on Saturday, Jiji news agency said.

Despite the larger search party no leads turned up on Wednesday, with many worrying the boy might not have survived heavy rains which fell on Tuesday night. 

The boy's parents first said he disappeared while they foraged for edible plants, but later told police they had left him by the road to discipline him after he threw stones at people and cars.

They said when they drove back a few minutes later the boy had disappeared. Read more here