Increasing media coverage of horrendous cases of child abuse, complete with gruesome details of serious injury or death, seems to indicate that the problem is getting out of control in this country. Until not so long ago, an issue that was widely believed to be a private family matter received scant attention of any kind, except from the rare concerned relative or neighbor. Now the subject is almost constantly in the news, sometimes involving individuals who have the professional responsibility of caring for young children.

Statistical reports on child abuse bear out its increased prevalence. Anyone concerned with the future of this country in the wake of the plummeting birthrate must be disturbed to learn that child-protection centers nationwide dealt with 12,411 cases of abuse in fiscal 1999, an increase of 60 percent over the previous year. These were cases reported to the 59 centers throughout Japan by concerned teachers, physicians and neighbors -- and in some instances even by those engaging in the abuse but unable to stop themselves. As could be expected, the national association of child-welfare centers reports that most of the incidents involved physical violence.

One center official attributes the sharp increase in reported cases to the growing public awareness of the seriousness of the issue rather than to an actual escalation of child abuse. Credited with helping to expose the problem is the Diet's enactment in May of a law granting child-welfare officials authority to prohibit abusive parents from meeting or communicating in any way with their children. The legislation remains controversial among those who cling to the belief that parents should always have the final say concerning their offspring. The most persuasive argument against that stubborn attitude is that the children could be maimed or killed by their abusers.