Local News

Kumamoto City released its first annual report on the so-called baby hatch at the city’s Jikei Hospital that accepts infants whose parents are unable to care for them. Parents can place them in a drawer anonymously as if they were mailing a letter, which is why it is referred to as the Baby Post in Japanese. A total of 17 children were handed over to the hospital through these means. Originally, the city said it would only issue a report on the number of children received due to privacy concerns, but increasing interest in the issue prompted them to publish a report with information provided in 16 categories.