http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews…
TOKYO (Kyodo) — A total of 15 babies were newly entrusted in fiscal 2009 to the “baby hatch” facility set up in 2007 by a Kumamoto hospital for unwanted newborns, down from 25 in fiscal 2008, the Kumamoto city office that permitted the service said Tuesday.
The latest figure brings the total number of babies and infants left at Jikei Hospital to 57 since it started operating the facility in May 2007 to enable parents who cannot raise children because of economic or other reasons to leave their babies anonymously.
None of the cases has posed any criminal issue such as child abuse, the city said.
The city government also revealed some background information about the parents who left their children at the facility and the marital status of the mothers.
On the reasons for leaving their children, six cited being unmarried, another six mentioned their reputation or family registration problems, three referred to criticism from parents or grandparents, another three indicated problems with extra-marital affairs, and one stated poverty.
Eight of the mothers were unmarried, three married, another three divorced and the status of one was unknown.
Of the 15 babies, nine were girls and six were boys, and none was from Kumamoto Prefecture. Three came from other prefectures in the Kyushu region, five from the Kanto region of eastern Japan, and two each from the Chubu, Kinki and Chugoku regions, while the origin of one was unknown.
The hospital set up the hatch after studying a similar system in Germany.
