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Over The Past 25 Years, Japan has Become a Black Hole For Child Abductions Both to and Within Japan

     Japan's current law unlike that of many other developed countries does not recognise Joint Custody of children to both parents after divorce. There is no family law system in Japan to enable such requests. An official governmental study estimates that 70% of divorces in Japan end with one parent having sole access to their child / children, while the other parent is cut out completely from that child's life without any right to see or have contact with their own child after divorce.

     This system is causing big problems. Children after divorce suffer from the negative effects of not having both parents in their life. This in most cases also extends to the child being completely estranged from the extended family members of the non custodial parent - children being prevented from seeing their grandparents, uncles, cousins. A study estimates that because of this there are over 150,000 children every year in Japan that lose complete contact with their non custodial parent and extended family. Research has shown that this system is not only extremely traumatic for a child (to be denied access to a parent they love) but also has extreme negative effects on the child's mental development. Such cases around the world are treated as forms of child abuse and dealt with, but not in Japan.

     Japan's current laws and system surrounding sole custody is leading to a bigger problem.

Japan's Child Abductions and Kidnapping on a National Scale:

     Cases where both parents are Japanese nationals and one parent abducts their child from the other parent, have almost become a daily event. Japan does not see this as a crime. A child is often seen as the property of the abducting parent with sole custody being awarded to the parent who physically has posession of the child. This is known as the "Continuity Principle". Parents are often encouraged by lawyers or feel the need to abduct their own children. There is no effective family law to deal with such cases in Japan, and Japan views such cases as family matters, leaving the child of the parent from which they were abducted from and the parent who has had their child kidnapped unable in law to have any access to eactother. Many Japanese left behind parents struggle in vain for years through a mediation process, or trying to obtain rulings through courts in Japan for the right just to see their children, but there is no law in Japan to help or facilitate such requests:

- In almost all cases Japan awards sole custody to the abducting parent.

- Evidence shows that these parents are often encouraged to or advised to abduct their children by Japan's legal system.

Japan's Child Abductions and Kidnapping on an International Scale:

     Cases where a Japanese national abducts their own child to or within Japan from their international parent, is an increasing problem. The number of cases range in the tens of thousands. So much so, that in July and August of 2020 both the E.U and United States of America filed official complaints against Japan. These kinds of cases are estimated to be in the tens of thousands. Children born to a Japanese national and international parent either in Japan or elsewhere internationally, assume by right the nationality and identity of both parents. Under Japanese current law, if a child is abducted or kidnapped by their Japanese national parent to or within Japan, even if the parents have been divorced to each other in a country which recognises and awards joint custody, or even if they are still married to the international parent from a country which recognises, allows and awards joint custody:

- Japanese law still does not recognise international joint custody laws or the right for the child to have both parents.

- In almost all cases Japan still awards sole custody to the abducting parent.

- It is almost the exclusive decision of the abducting parent to grant access between the child and the left behind parent.

- Even with Hague Convention return orders or rights to visitation orders in place, Japan has an extremely poor record of enforcing these, and in the vast majority of cases, leaves the decision to return the child or allow visitation in the hands of the abducting parent.

Japan and Parental Alienation:

     A dark side to parental child abduction in Japan is that parental alienation is also extremely common. To help justify the abduction of their own child during mediation process and in courts in Japan, an abducting parent often employs parental alienation techniques (the process of mentally abusing a child against the other parent so that the child no longer wants to meet their left behind parent). Parental alienation is a form of abuse and has life long negative impacts on the child. Depression, psychological damages, a feeling of worthlessness, the pressure of being forced to neglect part of their identity, self loathing, trouble in forming relationships, fear of neglection, drug use, crime, suicide and othe forms of self destructive behaviour manifests in the childs adulthood and later life. Japan does not recognise or investigate such cases.

Britain Yet To Act!

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... let them know parental child abduction of British children both to and within Japan is not acceptable, our children need their help. The government must do everything they can to protect the rights of children. Help Japan change.

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We need to make a noise, the world needs to let Japan know that abduction of our children is not accepatble

Abducted British children need action by the British government

UNCRC

Summary

Signed By

Japan

1994

Hague

Convention

Signed By

Japan

2014

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To Or Within Japan

There is an appetite for change within Japan from both Japanese citizens, grown up child victims and political parties to end Japan's abduction system. In February 2021 the British Government updated it's travel advice to Japan in recognition of the issue of parental abductions of British children to or within Japan. However, more work is needed. Japan needs external help to change.