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Put Japan on U.S. sanctions list for parental abductions: Washington Post editorial

JIJI

WASHINGTON – Japan should be included in a U.S. government list of the countries subject to sanctions over parental abductions, The Washington Post said in an editorial in its Wednesday online edition.

The U.S. newspaper cited Japan as an example of a country that does not actively address the problem of cross-border child abductions by parents after their failed marriages with U.S. citizens.

“Japan was recorded as having no unresolved cases when there are more than 50 outstanding,” the paper pointed out, noting that the Asian nation is absent in the sanctions list that currently has 22 countries.

If the U.S. Department of State “fails to call things as they are, it sends a message that nothing really needs to change after all,” the paper said, noting that it lacks “willingness to hold foreign governments to account.”

In April last year, Japan joined the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction, which sets rules for settling child custody disputes in failed international marriages. But cases that happened before then are not covered by the treaty.

Some U.S. lawmakers are calling for sanctions to be imposed on Japan as affected U.S. citizens are frustrated at Japan’s lukewarm response to the matter.

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  • Tim Johnston

    United States needs to have sanctions against Japan until it agrees to admit it’s wrong doings when it come to Children’s mental health issues and loving Fathers and Mothers who have been alienated and denied their basic human right to love their children.

    Until the Parents are given this right…….. Japan should have to suffer for it’s primitive and utter shocking treatment of Abducted and Alienated children.

    The Brainwashing of the single parent and the government to stop their criminal acts, otherwise……….The U.S. needs to help it’s citizens with the children who have been abducted and alienated within Japan. The only way is for the U.S. to finally help to change the law. The U.S. State department and the Japanese Government have been each others puppets for way too long.

    Time for the Politicians to keep their promises and give us access to our Children or time for Sanctions . 1,000’s of parents need to come together and file a Lawsuit against Japan!!

    This is an atrocious ongoing violation of basic Human rights, Parents Rights and more important Children’s rights for living children and parents. Being denied the Love they have deserved for too long………No sum of money would reverse the damage this has caused us this far.

    By the U.S. Govt. and the Japanese Govt. not cooperating with the Hague Convention and blowing smoke up our a—s with empty promises.
    1,000s of us are at our wits ends.

    We need resolution now or very,very soon!
    Tim Johnston Japan

  • Everett Thompson

    Republican Rep. Chris Smith is doing excellent work as a champion for LBPs (Left Behind Parents). Hilary Clinton and Secretary Campbell refused to help at the State Department. Child abduction is never okay. And children are not paws for politics…children are above politics. I wish Hilary understood that.

  • Mike E

    My son was abducted November 2012. With no ability to find my wife after flying to Japan 4 times, no way to serve her papers and follow procedure, or see my son, I requested help from the State Department. After filing out the Hague Convention access application to see my son, then requesting mediation and video chat visitation, I was told that the Japanese government will only ask my wife if she will do either of these things. Without pause, she easily responded with “No,” and I still cannot see my son.

    The agreement of the Hague Convention was to allow access to our children if they were abducted before it was signed and ratified. These kidnapping parents will not voluntarily allow us to see our children. It seems very simple to me, yet this is not done. She is found by the Japanese government, there is no abuse involved, I would like to see my son, I have followed all the rules, and yet I am not allowed to see him.

    I am not the only one.

    Mike E.