Intense debate is occurring now in the media in Japan, at the Japanese Federation of Bar Associations (Nichibenren), and within the Japanese political system about adapting Japanese civil law to the changes of Japanese society and to fulfill Japan's international legal obligations.
A recent government survey shows that over 166,000 children are separated from one parent in Japan each year after a separation or divorce, and only in the best of cases the non-custodial parent is able to meet their children after the children reach adulthood with very limited times (mostly 4 hours a month) compare to other developed countries.
Foreign parents of dual citizenship children are no exception, with an estimated 10,000 or more such children falling into this situation. Foreign parents face additional obstacles in maintaining access with their children because of inequitable Japanese immigration policies, making it difficult for foreign parents to continue to legally live and work in Japan after a separation or divorce.
In a Japanese society where both parents increasingly wish to be responsible after a divorce, the basic concept of family law enshrined in articles 766 and 819 needs to be amended in order to allow for increased rights for the non-custodial parent.
Today, same Japanese NPO and volunteer associations have tied up with left-behind parent associations from the US, UK, Canada, and France, to endeavor to positively lobby Japanese parliamentarians and make these changes possible in the law.
We are at a very crucial moment where key LDP and DJP members are acting on these changes, with Japan having declared it could sign the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction as early as 2010, and adapt Japanese law to comply with this treaty beforehand.
However we still need to deliver a strong message to the media, to reinforce this momentum and movement, and speak as one voice, with Japanese and foreigners involved together.
Prominent experts from Nichibenren, Japanese and French politicians, as well as Japanese and foreign parents, will contribute to a 90 minute press conference at the FCCJ on July 14, 2008, from 3:00 to 4:30pm.