7 Year old abandoned Japanese boy found alive

Japan: A 7 year old Japanese boy Yamato Tanooka who was abandoned in a forest by his parents for being naughty has been found alive after six when he was declared missing by his parents. His disappearance ignited an enormous search that kept the nations on its toes.

Yamato was found on Friday inside a building on a military base 4km from where he went missing on Saturday after his parents tried to punish him for throwing stones at cars.

"One of our soldiers was preparing for drills this morning and opened the door of a building on the base and there he was," said a member of Japan's Self-Defence Forces.

"When he asked 'are you Yamato?' the boy said yes. Then he said he was hungry, so the soldier gave him some water, bread and riceballs."

Yamato was immediately taken to the hospital for medical checks where medical examination revealed he was healthy except for low body temperature.
The boy's father Takayuki Tanooka, thanked rescuers and apologized for his action.

"We've reflected on what we did and it was really excessive," Tanooka said in a shaking tone.

"We, well, we loved him before but I hope to give him even more attention now," he said.

Yamato's parents first said he went missing as they searched for edible plants but later confessed to police they left him by the road to discipline him after he threw stones at people and cars.
They said when they drove back a few minutes later the boy was gone.
Narrating his ordeal, Yamato said he "walked through the mountains" until he found the building, which was unlocked. He drank water from a nearby tap and slept on mattresses spread on the floor.