It has been a decade since a baby hatch or the Konotori-no-yurikago (Cradle of Storks) was set up in Jikei Hospital in the city of Kumamoto in 2007. 130 babies were left there over a 10-year period. This book, entitled “Why People Abandoned Their Own Babies: The Truth of a Baby Hatch," was written by NHK reporters based on their two documentary TV programs.

It reveals that women who left their babies at the baby hatch are isolated and their situations seem to be quite different ones from 30-40 years ago. They seem to be obsessed with the idea that they must not tell others about the difficulties they face. They also fail to receive appropriate support services to give birth safely and nurture their children. As for their male partners, the book reveals their selfishness to the audience.

This original entry is here, posted on Monday, September 17th, 2018 in Japanese.