A new law designed to combat domestic violence by allowing courts to impose restraining orders went into effect Saturday, despite a number of experts pointing to shortcomings in the legislation.

The Law on Prevention of Spouse Violence and Protection of Victims enables district courts to impose six-month restraining orders and to force perpetrators to vacate their homes for two weeks.

It covers not only married couples but also couples living together and divorced individuals still in danger of violence from former spouses.

Failure to comply with an order will mean a maximum of one year in prison or up to 1 million yen in fines, while individuals who make false reports of domestic violence will be fined 100,000 yen.

According to a recent government report, more than 9,000 women visited prefectural counseling centers to seek advice on domestic violence in fiscal 2000.

Cases of domestic violence involving murder or injury totaled more than 1,000, the report said.

However, the new law has been criticized by experts for failing to protect children from violent parents.

Keiko Fukuhara, who works at a shelter for battered women in Yokohama, expressed her dissatisfaction at this loophole, saying, "It is very common for a violent husband to immediately search for the children at their schools or nurseries when his wife and children leave home."

Victims are also required to submit a notarized affidavit or reports compiled by women's centers or police on their injuries when filing a complaint with a district court. But in an emergency, the court is allowed to issue an order to the violent partner without a hearing on the case.

However, Keiko Kondo, a representative of another shelter in Sapporo, criticized the law, saying, "You just cannot ask a woman who is on the verge of being murdered to file such a report. It is completely unrealistic."

Experts also warn that restraining orders could fuel the anger of violent partners toward the victims.

"It is important to prepare for firm protection for the victims," said Tamie Kaino, a professor at Ochanomizu University specializing in women's studies and law.

The law also stipulates that local governments offer financial help to some 40 institutions nationwide that provide shelter for abuse victims.

Mom held over killing

A 34-year-old woman was arrested early Saturday on suspicion of beating her 7-year-old son to death at their home in Tokyo's Edogawa Ward on Friday evening, police officials said.

The woman, named as Shizuko Mizumura, has told investigators that she started beating her son, Tomonori, as she was scolding him.

The boy's father, Hiroyuki, a company employee, found his son dead after arriving home from work around 11 p.m. Friday.

Police said the child's entire body was covered in bruises.

According to investigators, Shizuko beat her son to death Friday evening with a plastic massage instrument. She hit him on the head and around the face and shoulders.

The suspect told police that she became increasingly angry as she was scolding the boy after one of his teachers said he had been bullying his classmates.

After hitting the boy, she carried him to his bed on the second floor of the house, where he was later found dead, the police said. The couple's 8-year-old daughter, 1-year-old son and the suspect's in-laws were at the house at the time of the incident.

The couple's neighbors said they had often heard the suspect scolding and yelling at her children.