Reader G.H. from Peru writes: I'm doing research on paternity systems around the world, and I was wondering if you could help.
"This may not be a big issue in Japan but it is in the Occidental world: fathers who don't want to recognize their children. So a paternity demand starts and then a DNA test is ordered by a judge. In some countries it has become mandatory to take the test, and if the man refuses, he is declared father of the child. But some countries are against this being mandatory. I would like to know how it works in Japan, please."
This inquiry begs two questions. The first is: Is a DNA test mandatory in order to prove the biological parent-child relationship in paternity cases in Japan? The other question is: Is it mandatory for a parent or child to have a DNA test, even against their will, in such cases?