Two babies left in Japan hospital "baby hatch"

TOKYO, June 17 (Reuters) Two babies have been left in a controversial ''baby hatch'' for unwanted newborns at a Japanese hospital over the past week, bringing to three the number of children left there since it opened in May, media said today.

The incubator-like box, similar to facilities long in use in Germany, was set up by the Catholic-run Jikei hospital in southwestern Japan to allow parents to drop off babies safely and anonymously if they feel they cannot care for them.

A baby boy aged around two months was left in the hatch on Tuesday with a note believed to be written by his parents saying ''We can't raise him,'' along with his name and date of birth, the Nikkei business daily said.

The third child was left on Friday. No further details were available, although it too was believed to be an infant, media said.

Hospital officials were not immediately available for comment.

The baby hatch has been severely criticised by some, including Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who says that parents must bring up children themselves.

Criticism was further stoked when a boy aged about three was left in the hatch on its first day of operation last month.

Adoption of non-relatives is extremely rare in Japan, and the children are likely to be sent to children's homes.

REUTERS RL PM0840