A hospital here plans to create a drop box where parents can anonymously leave unwanted babies, hospital officials said Thursday.
Jikei Hospital said it will begin the work to create the drop box as soon as it obtains permission from local public health authorities. The hospital wants to set it up by the end of the year.
Drop boxes for abandoned babies have been introduced in Germany, where they are known as a "babyklappe" (baby flap) or "babyfenster" (baby window) in German. In Italy, they are called "culle per la vita" (cradle for life).
A Jikei Hospital official visited Germany, where they are usually set up at hospitals or social centers, in 2004.