YAMAGUCHI -- A 2-year-old boy has been found safe and in generally good health three days after he went missing near his great-grandfather's home in Suo-Oshima, Yamaguchi Prefecture.
Yoshiki Fujimoto was found Wednesday morning near a stream about 560 meters from where he had last been seen. He had no obvious external injuries, according to the hospital that examined him.
According to the prefectural police's Yanai Police Station and other sources, Yoshiki and his family had been visiting his great-grandfather. At about 10:30 a.m. Sunday, Yoshiki, his 66-year-old grandfather and his 3-year-old brother set off for a beach about 400 meters from his great-grandfather's house.
After walking about 100 meters, Yoshiki returned to the house by himself. His grandfather watched him walk back to near the house, but the boy went missing after that. About 150 searchers, including police officers and firefighters, looked for the boy.
At about 6:30 a.m. Wednesday, volunteer Haruo Obata found Yoshiki by a mountain stream about 560 meters northeast from his great-grandfather's house. When Obata called out "Yoshiki," the boy replied, "I'm here," the sources said.
According to Obata, 78, who lives in Hiji town, Oita Prefecture, Yoshiki was sitting with both feet together in a rocky area. Obata told the boy, "You've done well" and took out a bag of candy. Yoshiki eagerly ate it, Obata said.
Yoshiki was wearing a long-sleeved swim shirt when he was found, but he was naked from the waist down and barefoot.
"Children tend to climb up hills, so I searched the upper part of that mountain," said Obata, who has been involved in searches for other missing children. "It's great that he's been found."
Obata received a letter of gratitude from Yanai Police Station.
Police officers and other searchers had checked the stream the previous day. The police believe Yoshiki moved around the mountains while he was missing.
The boy showed signs of dehydration, so he was taken to Shuto General Hospital in Yanai, Yamaguchi Prefecture, and placed on a drip. A 44-year-old doctor who examined Yoshiki said: "He probably found water to drink somewhere. I'm surprised he's in such good condition."
Yoshiki's mother, Mio, 37, described her feelings at the hospital.
"To be honest, I didn't think I'd see him alive again. I'm overwhelmed with emotion," Mio said as tears welled in her eyes. "So many people helped search for him during these sweltering days. I'm just so grateful."
Mio repeatedly bowed after she spoke.
When Mio asked Yoshiki if he was hungry at the hospital, he replied that he wanted to eat something. He ate a banana and jelly, she said.
Monday -- the day after Yoshiki disappeared -- was his birthday. His mother said the family will have a belated celebration with a cake made of ice cream, one of Yoshiki's favorite foods.
Yoshiki, the third-oldest son in his family, is from Hofu in the prefecture.
Shade, stream likely helped
Yoshiki was found about 68 hours after he disappeared, and the temperature in Suo-Oshima topped 30 C each day he was missing. When Yoshiki vanished, he was wearing a long-sleeved swim shirt and swimming trunks, but apparently was not carrying food or a water bottle.
According to the Shimonoseki Local Meteorological Observatory, good weather continued in the region from Sunday to Tuesday. The high temperature on Tuesday reached 33.7 C, about 2.6 C higher than an average year.
However, Yoshiki was found in an area with plenty of shade and a nearby stream. It is highly likely that having access to drinkable water helped him survive.
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