NC Yamato's parents reportedly left him by the side of a road as punishment for throwing stones at cars

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Seven-year-old Yamato Tanooka was discovered in a building on a Japanese military base nearly three miles from where he disappeared last Saturday. His parents had reportedly left him by the side of a road as punishment for throwing stones at cars. The youngster survived on water from a tap and slept on a mattress for the entire duration of his ordeal. He was only discovered on Thursday morning when a serviceman walked into the building by chance.

A spokesman for Japan’s Self-Defence Forces said: “One of our soldiers was preparing for drills and opened the door of a building on the base, and there he was.” “When he asked ‘are you Yamato?’ the boy said yes. Then he said he was hungry, so the soldier gave him some water, bread and riceballs.” The boy was taken to hospital for checks but was healthy except for low body temperature. Medics said they would be keeping him overnight as a precaution. Yamato’s tearful father, Takayuki Tanooka, thanked rescuers for their efforts and apologised for causing trouble.

NHK WORLD The boy was taken to hospital for checks but was healthy except for low body temperature

He said: “We’ve reflected on what we did and it was really excessive.” He added: “We - well, we loved him before, but I hope to give him even more attention now." Yamato’s parents first said he disappeared while they foraged for edible plants, but later told police they had left him by the road to discipline him after he threw stones at people and cars. They said when they drove back a few minutes later the boy had disappeared. The area is so remote that residents of the region say they rarely go through it.

NHK WORLD

NHK WORLD The youngster survived on water from a tap and slept on a mattress for the entire week