Abe's Utsukushii Kuni

So Kumamoto's "konotori no yurikago" (stork cradle) hatch at Jikei Hospital has opened. It's sad that this kind of thing has to exist, but if it does some good, I think it's worth it. Prime Minister Abe, however, isn't crazy about the idea:

In Tokyo, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe remained critical of the baby hatch and said he wants parents to consult the government or local administrative authorities before giving up on their babies.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuhisa Shiozaki, the top government spokesman, said it is impermissible for parents to abandon their babies.

"Fundamentally, it's parents who must raise their babies by themselves," Shiozaki said. "It must be the government's duty to extend some help for parents who cannot raise their babies for various reasons."

Welcome to Abe's Beautiful Country (utskushii kuni). Please look to the government for solutions to all your problems. They'll even tell you how to raise your kids and maybe even recommend a lullaby or two. Welcome to the beautiful Japan where baby hatches are frowned upon and single mothers in Hiroshima leave their newborns to die in a parking lot.