Tokyo, Japan (AHN) - A hospital in the Japanese city of Kumamoto has announced a new plan to alleviate the problem of abandoned babies left by troubled mothers. According to local Japanese media reports on Thursday, the hospital plans to create a box depository on the outside of the building where mothers can drop off their unwanted child.
The new installation is being called a "stork's cradle." The box contains a small hinged door that opens to reveal an incubator where the baby can be safely placed.
An alarm within the hospital will tell nurses that a new deposit has been made.
The baby 'drop-off' is to be staffed by a team of nurses 24-hours a day.
"We want to save both mothers and children by offering the baby slot," a hospital spokesperson was quoted to say in Asahi Shimbun.
Some critics fear the new program will promote an increase in baby abandonment.
"There must be people who doubt the system, but we can't pretend not to see abandoned children nor can we just let them die. Children have done nothing wrong," the spokesperson, Taiji Hasuda added.
The baby depository is set to be in place by the end of the year.
And Gboothe, before you ask, you're too old and big to fit in the "stork's cradle", no matter how cute those nurses are!