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Missing Japanese Boy Found Alive

7 year old Yamato Tanooka had been missing in a forest after parents abandoned him.
Seven year old Yamato Tanooka found alive and well.
Fairfax/AP
Seven year old Yamato Tanooka found alive and well.

A seven-year-old boy who was left behind by his parents in a Japanese forest as punishment has been found alive, after a six-day ordeal.

Seven year-old Yamato Tanooka was found in an abandoned military building following a six-day search in a forest in northern Japan. Yamato sparked a massive search in the bear-infested forest after his parents abandoned him as punishment for throwing rocks at cars.

Rescuers were in the process of winding down the search for Yamato when he was found today.

According to Japanese broadcaster NHK, police claim the child is in good health after he went missing on Saturday.

The search involved 130 people, including police on horseback, through difficult terrain in the mountainous area of the island of Hokkaido.

His parents had initially told police their son had disappeared while the family was looking for edible plants but later they admitted they had left him in the forest to punish him for being naughty.

Japanese police rescue workers looking for 7 year old Yamoto.
Fairfax/AP
Japanese police rescue workers looking for 7 year old Yamoto.

The parents reportedly drove for around 500 metres before turning back to pick Yamoto up, but he had already wandered off.

The area is home to bears and at night, temperatures dropped to 7C.

Yamato's father, Takayuki Tanooka spoke to Japanese television reporters of his sorrow.

"We have done an unforgiveable thing to our child, and we have caused a lot of trouble for everyone," Tanooka said.

About 130 people helped in the search for young Yamato.
Fairfax/AP
About 130 people helped in the search for young Yamato.

Yamato was found in nearby Shikabe Town, Hokkaido.

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