Weird Japan hospital sets up drop-off hatch for unwanted babies

[Krys A Night]

TOKYO, Japan (AP) -- A Japanese hospital said Thursday it would set up a hatch into which unwanted infants can be anonymously dropped.

The plan comes after a series of cases of parents reportedly abandoning newborns in parks and shopping centers.

The Catholic-run Jikei Hospital in the southern city of Kumamoto, which received local government permission for the service on Thursday, hopes the hatch will reduce cases of abandoned babies and abortions, according to head nurse Yukiko Tajiri.

The move came despite criticism from top government officials that it could spur more parents to abandon their babies. Tajiri said the hospital was simply trying to save lives.

Japan hospital’s drop box will take unwanted infants

A japanese hospital opened the country's only anonymous drop box for unwanted infants Thursday despite government admonitions against abandoning...

www.seattletimes.com

 

[InfectedWithDrew]

Uhhhh... what's behind the hatch door? A furnace?

 

[21ToWin]

Uhhhh... what's behind the hatch door? A furnace?

A japanese restaurant kitchen.

 

[Blackveiled]

Wow....what has the world come to...thats just F'ED UP!

 

[BlueSin]

How is this messed up? Its a solution to babies being abandoned, now they are taken care of by the hospital or adopted out.

 

[The Helper]

It is supposed to be a way a mother can anonymously drop off a baby without having to leave it at a bus station, in a field, on someone's porch, etc. In other words, they are saying if you have to abandon your child put it in this drop off hatch which might go to the chinese restaraunt kitchen instead of leaving it in the dumpster.

 

[BlueSin]

>>Babies placed in the hatch will be cared for by the hospital and then put up for adoption, she said.

 

[TheDamien]

The Helper is correct. While this "hatch" business may seem a bit messed up, it is surely the lesser of two evils.