missing boy

[Autumnalhedgehog]

In Asia parent put him in forest as punishment they came back 10 mins later he was gone has been missing 2 days now

So western working class families may find this ok? What a load of bollocks.

No, that was in response to taking your child to that sort of woods as an unsuitable activity. They were foraging from food. In mumsnet land, foraging for food in the forest is not a usual activity, however it is to some.
I'm not sure how you could possibly find stating that this family are unlikely to be western racist? How odd.

Foraging for food (not from)

I totally understand and agree with what Wilent said and there's no racist intent there. People are judging this family based on a western ways of living. This a completely different part of the world where foraging is probably a very normal daily activity. Gut instinct also tells me they've probably been in this forest loads of times. I'm not saying leaving a 4yr old there as punishment is right, but it's possible because they're so familiar with the surroundings may have underestimated the dangers and thought he'd be okay for 5mins. A bit like when over here you tell your child to go their room.

Well yes ok, different cultures bla bla. The family were in their car so hardly foraging for food!!

I can't see anything at all in the article linked referring to them being in a car. Where have you got this from?

I lived in Japan for 6 years, 3 in northern rural Niigata province. You're still talking tosh wilent

In other news, there are foraging white westerners, picking wild garlic, seps, elderflower, and such in forests across the British Isles.

I think the bear element of the story whilst not a red herring, is an alarmist element. I wonder how many bear attacks there are in Hokkaido each year?

The BBC story just says that Hokkaido (that's the whole island, isn't it?) is home to bears. You could say the same of each province of Canada.

Any MNetters in Japan and/or who know this area well know if it is particularly known for its bear population?

I haven't seen an update here on how the search is going, and was wondering how the Japanese press was covering it.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-36410802

Not much in the update, other than that the search continues.

The king it was a link to a previous story by the BBC . At the bottom of original story.

link The original story was that they were foraging but now said they put him out of the car as he was playing up.

Stupid stupid man , but i do feel sorry for him.

My neighborhood in Japan is also populated by bears. We get several sightings a year. Usually by the workers at a courier dispatch station nearby. I've never seen one though. They are usually sighted very early in the morning but they don't like noise. It's extremely unlikely he was attacked by a bear but Japan is a volcanic island so the mountains here are very steep and precipitous. The forests aren't like in the UK they are often dense and difficult to walk in. He may have fallen somewhere and be trapped or he may still be wandering or something. He is school aged so will be used to walking to and from school on his own. It's not unusual for kids this age to run errands on their own either. A friend of mine lives rurally and the school kids walk 3 km to school every morning through the mountains with no adult supervision. In that sense it is really different from the UK.

What the fuck where they thinking of. There's punishment and there's a disregard for safety and human life.
I can believe it was "only" 5 minutes. A lot can happen, even in such a short time.
The poor little mite

Fructose your implication is a bit (a lot) off.

Still no news. Poor kid

I really hope he is found safe soon. The weather forecast is rain.

I've just read some comments on a news-site saying when parents are at 'whits end' and 'trying to teach lessons' what a load of sodding bollox.

Leaving a child's side - however annoyed and frustrated - wherever you are in the world - however badly they have behaved. I just don't understand...

Apparently they have suspended the search due to rain. Another night he is missing

Everyone is entitled to their opinions and as no one knows the full truth behind either of these stories people make their own judgements. Mine may well be completely different to yours.

They are restarting the search at 8 am on Wednesday with 180 people. It seems there are a lot of cliffs in the area. Apparently his sister was also in the car with them.

Nope, just covering the worst X are scenarios. Not saying that is what they HAVE done.

That's good news. Hopefully they will at least find something that can help them with finding this little boy.

Still no sign of him, it seems. There were 203 people out looking today, including 75 members of the Japan self-defense force.