A 7-year-old Japanese boy who was abandoned by his parents in bear-infested mountains was found safe Friday.
Yamato Tanooka was found “in good health” after spending 6 nights alone in the mountains of Hokkaido, Japan, according to People.com.
“A Self-Defense Force (SDF) official found Yamato while on a drill Friday morning.
Self-Defense Forces spokesman Manabu Takehara told AFP, “There was no conspicuous external injury, and the boy introduced himself as Yamato Tanooka.”
Manabu Takehara said the boy “looked in good health” when he was found.
The child was fed a rice cake and a beverage before being flown by helicopter to the hospital for a medical evaluation.
Yamato told police he walked through the mountains to a metal hut on the military base approximately 3.4 miles northeast of where he went missing, the local Hokkaido newspaper reports. There, he found enough food and water to fend off starvation and dehydration.
More than 150 police, firefighters and rescue workers participated in the search for the boy on Mount Komagatake, the northern-most of Japan’s four main islands.
Yamato’s parents initially told police the boy was last seen picking wild vegetables on Saturday.
But after further interrogation, the parents admitted they let the boy out of their car and left him as punishment for throwing rocks at passing cars and at people.
They said when they returned “immediately” to the area, the boy was gone.
Yamato’s father told a news reporter he was too afraid to tell the truth when he first contacted authorities.
His father recalled the emotional reunion with his son on Friday during a phone interview on TV Asahi.
“I apologized to Yamato,” he said through tears. “First of all, it’s really great he is safe. I can’t find words. It’s good.”
Contrary to previous reports, officials are considered filing child neglect charges against the parents, according to Kyodo News.
