More than 100 children were hospitalized because of neglect by parents and legal guardians in 2005, but that is likely just the tip of the iceberg, according to a Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry study released Monday.
Neglect can take many forms, from inadequate provision of food and clothing to failure to provide proper medical attention when needed, but it has only recently been recognized in Japan as a form of child abuse.
The study is based on questionnaires sent to 570 hospitals handling pediatric cases across the country, drawing responses from 230 facilities. Of the respondents, only 106, or 46 percent, said they had treated neglected children in "the past."