The number of cases of suspected child abuse has hit a record high in Japan - 80-thousand last year. Psychological abuse was, by far, the most prevalent. Our correspondent Terrence Terashima has more from Tokyo.  

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe pledged on Wednesday that the government will make all-out efforts to eradicate child abuse in Japan. It was an unusual government intervention on child abuse, but many Japanese feel it could have been sooner.

The order came after parents of a 10-year old girl were arrested on suspicion of inflicting injuries that led to their daughter's death. Despite a desperate plea to her teachers, authorities neglected to follow up on the well-being of the child.

Abe said it is deplorable that schools, boards of education and child welfare centers, which are supposed to protect children, failed to listen to the girl's cries for help.

Child abuse in Japan has increased in at an alarming speed. Government survey showed that in 2017, there were 133,778 reports of child abuse, 300 percent increase from 2007, a huge increase from 1,000 cases reported in 1990s.

54% are said to be cases of psychological abuse like parents tell their children they were unwanted or that the family would have been happier without them.

Abuse cases like these are hard for third parties to detect.

24.8 percent of child abuse cases were physical abuse, 20 percent were child neglect and there were also cases of sexual abuse.

"I think the authorities are as much fault as the parents. It could have been prevented."

Experts say the increase is attributed to a number of reasons. Increase in divorce rate and second marriages could be a factor. In many cases, the abuse were done by step parents. The increase of the number of low-income single mothers is likely also part of the picture. But on a positive note, more people becoming more vigilant of domestic violence and are more likely to report them to the authorities.

TERRENCE TERASHIMA TOKYO "Unfortunately there is not a system that would obligate welfare centers to report on child abuse cases when the family moves out to another town or change school. That is exactly what had happened here, resulting in the death of an innocent 10-year-old girl. Experts are calling for better legislations to protect domestic violence victims. Terrence Terashima, CGTN, Tokyo."