A law that forbids physical punishment over children is on the way in Japan. (Image via: Elite Readers)

Adult Can No More Slap Children in Japan

TOKYO - Japanese children can now rest from physical punishment. A bill is about to be passed by The Diet, announcing that it is illegal for parents or guardians to physically punish children. Many conservative parents choose beating (with rod, belt, broomstick or feather duster).

With many children in present generations are easily traumatized with the harsh punishment, The Diet decided to put it into their consideration. The result was this bill. On Friday (24/5), the bill passed the committee of welfare issue after several modifications.

The abusive parents will not be sentenced into prison, at least not until they beat their children to death. The modification to the bill stated that these abusive parents will be treated physically and psychologically by local government and child welfare center.

This bill has a gruesome background stories, after the series of cases based on abusive parents who use harsh means of discipline and at the end they killed the child by accident or purpose.

In January, a 10 year old girl, Mia Kurihara, was “disciplined” to death by his father, while her mother failed to prevent. In March 2018, Yua Funato, a 5-year-old girl, died after several abuse by her parents.

While this bill is about to run into force soon, it is time for the parents of tomorrow or present to contemplate about their discipline. We want discipline to correct our children, not to cause traumatic experience for them.