TOKYO - Shaken by rising cases of abuse, the Japanese government on Tuesday approved a revision to a child abuse prevention law that will ban parents and guardians from physically punishing children.
Mr Abe, citing a rise in child abuse cases in recent years, told his Cabinet ministers to make every effort and utilise all means available to them to eradicate the social crisis. One of the planned amendments to the current law will also empower child welfare centres to separate its staff members involved in taking a child into protective custody from those dealing with the child's parents or guardians.
The government's latest moves come in the wake of the tragic death of five-year-old Yua Funato in March last year. The child was subjected to heinous levels of abuse and neglect at the hands of her parents. Mia died in January this year as a result of being physically assaulted and deprived of food and sleep. Her parents have since been arrested.
The government's plans to introduce a ban on parents from physically punishing their children also follows disturbing child abuse figures released in Japan recently.