While many divorced noncustodial parents in Japan have no choice but to battle acrimoniously to gain access to their children, the situation is also often painful for their own parents, who as grandparents have become separated from their grandchildren.
Some grandparents who have been denied access to their young relatives are now networking with one another so that their visitation rights can be guaranteed. They are stepping up their efforts particularly because they have taken heart from amendments to the civil code due to take effect in April that stipulate that parents work out visitation matters involving their children when they divorce.
Visitation issues have taken on increased importance in Japan as the number of divorces rose to some 250,000 in 2010, up from about 160,000 in 1990.