He was found by military personnel, nearly 5 kilometers from where he went missing.
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The 7-year-old Japanese boy who went missing almost a week ago after his parents left him in a forest as punishment was found Friday, apparently unharmed, police said, in a case that had set off a nationwide debate about parental disciplining.
Yamato Tanooka was found at a military exercise area in Shikabe, a town on Hokkaido, Japan’s northernmost island, where he had been since last Saturday.
The soldier discovered the boy on a pile of mattresses at around 7:50 a.m. when he unlocked a hut at the base some 5km (3 miles) from where the child disappeared.
The incident had come about when Yamato’s parents had told him to get out of the auto on a mountain road as punishment for throwing stones at cars and people. After forcing the child to get out of their vehicle on a mountain road, they returned shortly afterward to retrieve him but he was nowhere to be found.
Scores of rescuers, including troops, have been searching the area where the boy was thought to have been left. But later they admitted they left him alone on a mountain road as a punishment for throwing stones.
They first said he disappeared while they were foraging for edible plants. He had a light rash on his arms and legs.
Yamato’s father, Takayuki, has apologised to the search teams and all those who supported the family, saying he and his wife had “gone too far” by ordering his son out of the auto.
“My infuriated act compelled my son to suffer”, Yamato’s father told reporters outside the hospital where his son was being treated.
After being reunited with his son, Yamato’s father Takayuki Tanooka, said: “The first thing I did was apologise to him for causing such an terrible memory for him”.
Yamato will remain in the hospital while his internal conditions are checked, the doctor said.
“We – well, we loved him before, but I hope to give him even more attention now”, he said.
They had initially claimed he had got lost while the family were picking wild vegetables.
“We’ve reflected on what we did and it was really excessive”, Tanooka said, his voice shaking.
It is unclear if the parents would face charges or fine for endangering their child’s life.
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A tearful Takayuki Tanooka, the boy’s father, thanked rescuers for their efforts and apologised for causing trouble.
