is it 316? or 316k. 316 people isn't a whole lot in the first place. Neither is 316k compared to japans population. But if it's just 316, so what. Besides, abuse in america I have found to be somewhat worse... generally. I mean, it's like, here in the more poor locations, everyone gives their kids spankings, even though it's considered abuse. But honestly, the kids that do get spankings do behave better. a little slap on the wrist says nothing. I think it all depends on what abuse is viewed as in other eyes.

By definition and law, it happens all the time.

But by what I real abuse, and which I mean bruising, cutting, mental distress, punching, blah de blah. It doesn't happen much...in america. I can't say that for any other country because I've never been to another country other than mexico.

Okay, here is what I mean.

For years, schools, other parents, etc, turned a blind eye toward abuse. They would say or think "Well, they`re not my kids. I don`t want to meddle..." etc. So of course, they cases were not reported to the police or anyone else. They were happening, but if it isn`t reported to the police or a social worker, it doesn`t get counted.

Recently, there has been a huge movement to stop child abuse and to help the children. So a lot of people no longer consider it "meddling" and they DO report these things to the police or to the children`s health organizations. So even though there are fewer actual cases of abuse, more of them are being counted.

The same thing with drunk driving recently. The cases haven`t actually increased - the police are just actually pulling people over for it where before they`d pretend not to see.

It`s sort of like if you have a bag of apples, and only count the ones on the very top, the ones you can see without moving anything - let`s say 4 - and say "There are 4 apples in my bag!". You keep eating the apples, and the bag is now only half full... You can still only see 4 apples at the top though. This time, for some reason, you decide to take all the apples out and count them. You now have 20 apples! The number of apples has increased!! But it really hasn`t, in fact, you only have half the apples that you started with. You have just gotten better at counting them.

That`s what has happened in this case.

well..i don't know what you all are saying but it was told in the 2007 Kyodo News..and that article can be read online too...hmm..don't remember the site..got to look...but if those members who live in japan and say that's untrue..then i just don't know:confused: ..i read japanese news from different websites..but i only read new news..

yeah i guess you are right..

By far, that's the most logical not to mention, sensible explaination i've heard.
But, even so, by hopping to conclusions, who's to say that that's completely true? Maybe there're other factors or reasons.. that could've been classified O_O

Here's a question, when will Japan end their production of child porn?

59 died of abuse? That's just wrong.