crime

Jail term upheld for mother over fatal abuse of 5-year-old daughter

40 Comments

The requested article has expired, and is no longer available. Any related articles, and user comments are shown below.

© KYODO

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.

40 Comments
Login to comment

Yudai Funato, 35, was sentenced to 13 years in prison last October for physical abuse and neglect that led to the child's death. The sentence has been finalized.

They should add more years to that.

It prompted the Diet to enact revised laws banning parents and other guardians from physically punishing children and strengthening the ability of child welfare centers to intervene in cases where abuse is suspected.

This I'd like to see! Now only if they could encourage the public to report to authorities such violations. They should also look into providing intervention for juveniles and young adults that often get abused by their senpai.

18 ( +19 / -1 )

I remember the case, that "man" Yudai Funato was said to tremble in court. So, a real "man" to take his frustrations out on a defenceless little girl, but when faced with consequences he trembles in court. What a coward. Abusing a 5 yo little girl, whatta ??? is wrong with those two.

17 ( +18 / -1 )

Every time I see this photo of Yua it reminds me of the heart-breaking notes she wrote apologizing and asking for forgiveness from her parents.

24 ( +24 / -0 )

8 years?

Should be at least 20 years.

18 ( +21 / -3 )

she had been the target of her husband's psychological abuse and was powerless to stop him

we become what we tolerate

8 ( +11 / -3 )

What kills me about this case is this poor little angel was writing them notes and promising to be better.

The mother may have been powerless to stop the abuse, but she wasn't powerless to pick up her kid and leave.

20 ( +21 / -1 )

Yudai Funato, 35, was sentenced to 13 years in prison last October for physical abuse and neglect that led to the child's death.

Japanese “justice” at its finest ladies and gentlemen. That scumbag gets to walk among us when he is 48.

Yua was 5. She doesn’t get to live or experience anything at all except the pain, fear and sorrow she felt at the very hands of the people who were supposed to protect her.

Where is the justice in that?

14 ( +16 / -2 )

I hope that he and the judge who let him off so lightly are haunted by this little girls ghost until the time they pass

11 ( +13 / -2 )

"Yudai Funato, 35, was sentenced to 13 years in prison last October for physical abuse and neglect that led to the child's death. The sentence has been finalized."

I don't know what goes on in Japanese prison, but I can hope they make Yudai here pay the price. 13 years of 12-16 hour days turning big rocks into small rocks, digging ditches only to refill them. 13 years of bland, crappy meals. 13 years of sleep on an uncomfortable futon. I want to stories about you writing letters begging for it to stop.

6 ( +9 / -3 )

From Day One of this case appearing in the news, I wanted the mother dead. But that was wrong. I want her incarcerated for the rest of her life, so that on her deathbed she begs forgiveness from that child. End of story.

11 ( +12 / -1 )

13yrs for the man & 8yrs for the woman.....wtf not near enough for either of these two!!!

13 ( +14 / -1 )

A sad situation. She was a victim, without a doubt. But she could have done something. Anything. I personally wouldn't have given her that many years. The REAL travesty as that her husband, the perpetrator of violence against his wife AND his helpless child, only got 5 more years than she did. If ANYONE deserved 20 years in jail, it's him.

-6 ( +1 / -7 )

Keep in mind that if you go to jail in Japan, your life is often over even after get out. You have a criminal record and society will shun you. There are not a lot of opportunities to start over.

-2 ( +3 / -5 )

Keep in mind that if you go to jail in Japan, your life is often over even after get out. You have a criminal record and society will shun you. There are not a lot of opportunities to start over.

Does Japan do background checks for every job or some depending? in the States they do, but how about Japan? And can criminals over time get their criminal records expunged?

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Neither of them should ever be allowed to see daylight ever again!!!

7 ( +8 / -1 )

She should be in jail for 80 years not 8!

5 ( +6 / -1 )

Only 8 years?! She deserves the life-sentence for what she did. I feel sad for her son though.

6 ( +7 / -1 )

I't about time the Japanese justice system stood up for the children rights. I am pleased with this and I hope it will send a very strong message to other parents.

So many times I have seen children neglected, and abused. It was a shock, in many cases I have seen parents who should have never had children.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

My heart is crying out for Yua. I hope they get all the crap in jail and then when they are out they are discarded by the society. Then they will know what Yua went through.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

The mother was complicit over a long period and deserves to be punished.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

Japanese “justice” at its finest ladies and gentlemen. That scumbag gets to walk among us when he is 48.

Yua was 5. She doesn’t get to live or experience anything at all except the pain, fear and sorrow she felt at the very hands of the people who were supposed to protect her.

Your words made me cry .... very true

5 ( +6 / -1 )

A sad situation. She was a victim, without a doubt. But she could have done something. Anything. I personally wouldn't have given her that many years. The REAL travesty as that her husband, the perpetrator of violence against his wife AND his helpless child, only got 5 more years than she did. If ANYONE deserved 20 years in jail, it's him.

They both deserve more jail time in my opinion. Let's not forget she died from malnutrition and pneumonia, not from a blow to the head or something like that.

So they are both responsible. Also was the guy even charged with abusing the mother, or did she just say that as an excuse? I really can't trust what she or her lawyer says. Her claim she didn't know about the physical abuse is laughable.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

It's a jut sentence but the father should have gotten at least double.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

When I first got to Japan I was surprised by the amount of folklore tales and ghost stories that had young women or girls as vengeful spirits... After about a year or so of seeing this society first hand and watching daily news stories, I was surprised no longer.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

she should have been capable of taking action as a mother to get medical support for her daughter,

I completely agree with the judge, but it’s not always as simple as that. Many women do not have the emotional or mental courage to stand up to a physically abusive husband.

As heartbreaking as this whole scenario is, at least this poor little girl is no longer suffering the punishment from her delinquent parents.

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

Such cases will always occur for the human animal is truly made of "crooked timber".

3 ( +3 / -0 )

"I have done everything I should, and I would like to go to prison at once." Not very remorseful in my opinion. She will be 36 and still within child bearing age. She should consider herself lucky. If it was up to me as the judge I would have let her when she was over 50.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

8 years? She should've gotten the long drop instead.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

Pathetic. Hopefully both of them die a slow and painful death in their ridiculously short jail sentences.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

unbelievable such short sentencing. they should get the same treatment in jail the way they did to yua.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

One word - sterilization!

0 ( +3 / -3 )

But only if we had the magical power of winding back the hands of time, I am sure that there would be hundred or thousands of people hearing this little girls story, we would all surly adopt her tomorrow. As for the mother, top tip, when your in such a bad situation, get up one day, take your belongings, the children and walk out, and DONT return.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Both sentences seem short but that is because it was family. Having said that, it wasn't just murder, it was repeated torture and a slow, painful death which means they should both be in prison for at least 25-30 years.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

So heart breaking to read that this little girl was abuse from their cruel parents..Rest in peace.Should ve be in prison for life!!!!

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Japanese justice system looks far more flexible and soft towards child abusers and I strongly believe they have a system that encourages and protect pedophiles.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

rgcivilian1Today  12:56 pm JST

"I have done everything I should, and I would like to go to prison at once." Not very remorseful in my opinion. She will be 36 and still within child bearing age. She should consider herself lucky. If it was up to me as the judge I would have let her when she was over 50.

After giving this some thought I have no right to judge a person without all the facts. I retract my prior opinion.

Let the sentencing stand as was fit by court of law.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

That little girl deserved loving parents not the monsters that had control of her young life.

It is a tragic tale.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

My blood boils when I read this. I don´t feel so much when adults murder one another, but torturing a 5 year old to death.... speechless

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Login to leave a comment

Facebook users

Use your Facebook account to login or register with JapanToday. By doing so, you will also receive an email inviting you to receive our news alerts.

Facebook Connect

Login with your JapanToday account

User registration

Articles, Offers & Useful Resources

A mix of what's trending on our other sites