Search is on for 7-year-old left in forest by parents as a 'form of discipline'

On Monday, more than 100 rescuers in Japan frantically searched for a missing 7-year-old boy, who was left behind in the woods, apparently as a form of punishment.

The boy, Yamato Tanooka, has been missing for two days on northern Hokkaido island, in an area known to have bears. A police spokesperson told NBC News his parents first said they became separated from their son while foraging in the woods for plants, but later a family member told police the boy was left as a "form of discipline." The police did not say why Tanooka was being punished or how long he was left alone, but local media reports that he was disciplined for throwing rocks at cars and was out of sight for five minutes.

In an appearance on Japanese television, Tanooka's father, whose name is being withheld, said he wanted to "apologize to my son, also for causing trouble for so many people. I'm just filled with the feeling hoping that he comes back safely."

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