TOKYO — The search for a boy who disappeared after his parents reportedly left him behind in a Japanese forest as punishment pushed into a fifth day on Thursday, with no clues to his fate. There have been no signs of the boy or any eyewitness reports of him, according to police. Police said more than 180 rescuers, including defence troops, were searching Thursday, focusing on the area where the boy was believed to have been dropped off. The boy’s mysterious disappearance has captured national attention, with many praying for his safe return, while others have bitterly criticized the parents, triggering a debate over whether their treatment of the boy was discipline or child abuse. Yamato Tanooka, 7, has been missing since Saturday, when his parents said they made him get out of their car as punishment for misbehaving, leaving him behind in a wooded area on Hokkaido, Japan’s northernmost main island.

Source: thestar June 02, 2016 13:22 UTC