Stop Child Abduction in Japan

[trafferazabu]

I'm not posting as a response. Speaking to a father who has lost his children, serbetli100 is obviously a nutter. Clearly, there are hundreds of thousands of Japanese parents missing their children who would disagree. Also, from the 60s custody went from 80%+ to the father towards its current almost always to the woman. This change took place with the Widows and Orphans law which provided assistance to divorced woman and encouraged them financially towards zero contact with their ex-spouse.

[serbetli100]

Funny, after the WW2, Japan was occupied by racist USA, then thousands of Japanese women were raped by whites, forced to be sex-slaves of the whites. Consequently many a half jap children were born especially in Okinawa. But your grandfather whites never wanted to take them back to USA. Whites didn't consider the japs as humans, society of USA refuse the half jap child and despise the white if he had a had a half jap child so they left the children. What makes you change mind then huh?

[serbetli100]

Also, Canada and USA is awful white supremacist society treating Japanese women as sex-slaves. White Canadian and USAans are disgusting dirty racists. They are like Muslims abusing women. Their society is racist and has racial caste system which don't allow Japanese any human-rights. Became modern democratic society and human of the 21th century before you claim Japanese moron!

[serbetli100]

Japan is woman dominating society. Not like western men dominating society. Wife usually take children. It's foolish to complain it. You should have known the Japanese behavior before you marry them. This is indeed stupid and racist white supremacy disregarding Japanese custom and arrogantly imposing western Christian behavior on Japanese.

[nerdydesi]

I need to ask about these cases of foreign abduction by Japanese mothers taking their children to Japan away from their foreign husbands. It seems to be a growing trend. Are these men not treating their Japanese wives well enough? Why are these Japanese women abandoning their foreign (almost always caucasian) husbands?

Lots of white men have a fetish for asian women, then why are they treating them badly for them to leave and take their child with them back to Japan?

[trafferazabu]

1992-2007 3.66+ million divorces in Japan, involving NO foreign spouses. 50% of these cases involved denial of access to one parent; based on Japan government MHLW statistics. For non-Japanese, Filipino and Chinese women are loosing their children most often in Japan. 2.0+million children currently without one parent in Japan. A major problem in Japan, which the Japanese left behind parents also recognize. Just last week another left behind Japanese father committed suicide.

[nipponsuxs]

Japan announced today they would sign the Hague convention. About time

[pornpan96]

never marry to a jap slut, they marry just about any nationality after havin sex with hundreds of jap men in love hotels and do all the hooker jobs and stuff to save money to go overseas lookin idiots like you, they only think of having a kid and then they take off with the kid, once shes in japan with the kid you cant claim anything ,cuz japanese laws only allow the parent whos got koseiki tohon to have the kid ,unless you re a japanese citizen and got one yourself ,otherwise kiss ur kid gbye

[tappy132]

Heartbreaking, it truly is. A friend of mine had his daughter abduction by her Japanese grandparents, just totally painful listening to his stories concerning the fight to get her back. My heart goes out to you and the others who face this injustice. Take care.

[trafferazabu]

Thanks @tappy132 . This needs to stop now! Too many wonderful kids, not to mention their parents and extended families, being harmed completely unnecessarily.

[TheBucci44]

Finally a movie as reported on the hollywood reporter news:

winery-prepares-2011-film-tv-5­9592

I hope this gets support and brings the issue to light

[flutetuty]

Why don't you write a letter to the President explaining your grievances. I'm sure he can help you in your case since any parent like himself would not like the idea of having their children placed in a situation like this. (There are websites out their that can send letters to the president.)

I wish you the best of luck. We have a situation similar to yours in Hawaii so don't worry, you are not alone in your cause.

Japan bring our ohana home



[jeadwass]

G'day Trafferazabu, I hope your search is going well, mine has just begun. I look forward to the day I see my son again. good luck, Daniel.

[trafferazabu]

@jeadwass Ah Daniel, sorry to hear about your situation. Join us over at iapcr (dot) org . We're getting more traction in this fight than ever before.

[lisamrichards]

If you like the song, you can purchase it on itunes! Thanks

[kitrenee59]

I'm so sorry......yes this still continues.....We must all pull together to help each other. Never Give Up......

[MrAngelothegreat]

much love goes out to you and your family, stay strong, and from all of us who are aware in delaware wwe all care very much for you guys and everyone else effected by this. so stay strong my brother

[MrAngelothegreat]

trafferazabu dont give in stay strong. many people can make change and many are aware of this problem and are affected, and also that we all are with you and the rest who are affected and we have alot of love for all of you and your children, so much love again from us in delaware who are with you, and remember your family is as well always with you in spirit, so stay strong man things are gonna change for the better soon my brother

[trafferazabu]

Passing through yet another Christmas without my son and daughter. Me and thousands of other parents. Japan stop stealing our kids!

[Embargoman]

@trafferazabu They need to change the rules and sign the Hague treaty but this is not what I say normal in a way the custody in most cases wich will be either the father or the mother and this has to change pretty soon.

[trafferazabu]

@Embargoman The sooner the better. I see you hope to make it over to Japan in the future. If you do and fall in love with a Japanese woman, have a frank conversation about raising kids, education, separation and divorce. I think you can gain a good sense about which woman will cut off a father and which will see the need for their children to know their father. I was too young and didn't receive such advice. Seek out someone, a loving person, who knows Japan and this situation for advice.

[Obataladance]

In multicultural couples this happens very often.The commun situation is that the one who is the national, from the country where the children were born used it as power to force the foreign to remain in his/her country with the children..confortable ?.if i break with my man, i will come back home with my kids..i will try to make it in a friendly way..people should think about it before having children with someone from another nationality. This is why i live in 3rd country..not his, not mine..

[trafferazabu]

You're right. People should think about the customs of the person they are marrying should the worst happen, they break up. And statistics and a lot of people, men and women I know, show that people need to be aware that if a marriage between themself and a Japanese goes bad where they have children, there is a very real chance that they may never see their children again. It's not always the case. But losing contact or a once a month meeting are the norm, very normal, with a Japanese.

[trafferazabu]

Here's an article just today in the Japan Times, link james317(dot)org/JapanChildCus­tody. If the numbers at the end of 35 French children and 100 American children missing in Japan, you should multiply the number by 10 for those who were not living abroad and taken, very hard on the kids, but those children who were already in Japan when the family broke down. All too sad and the kids are paying the price.

[trafferazabu]

Links are a pain on YouTube, ne! The last part should be JapanChildCustody, all one word.

[trafferazabu]

Never had a movie like The Lives of Others (Das Leben der Anderen), where the East German Stasi listened to lives in secret, capture the life left behind fathers in Japan endure. Scared to talk openly, afraid to affect our kids or a possible chance we may see them. Forced to act normal so we're not deported or arrested. The State bureaucracy aligned against our every action. Even kids turned against parents, twisted by their own fears. Wasted years, needless injustice and shocking comparison.

[ADAMADEADSEA]

I dont know what to say.

Watced your film and cry I feel sorry for you and hope for you to meet them soon.

Do not give up.

[trafferazabu]

Thanks mate.

[macsmus01]

In the past 10 yrs 20,000 children have been abducted from America and brought to Japan by their Japanese mothers. I have talked to a lot of Japanese and read many Japanese articles regarding this matter, the response I got is that most Japanese think its funny, support the mothers 100% or make excuses for her behavior and are generally happy to stick it to America (basically any country apart from Japan). I'd hate to imagine the total number of children worldwide abducted and brought to Japan

[trafferazabu]

The latest estimate I saw was 160,000 kids have no meaningful contact with one parent and that within that group 10,000 of those kids have one parent who is foreign, non-Japanese. It's very much a non-discussed cultural issue facing all Japanese. Many of us not from Japan can't understand it and are shocked when confronted with it. I've seen parents from many parts of the world in complete shock.

[Obataladance]

I understand your feelings but as u, the father of my children is not from my country..we all living in a foreign country, i love my man, we live together with the kids, but if one day we brake up..Why i have to remain in a country which is not mine just for the sake of the children ? I never will take my kids away from daddy ..but i have difficulty accepting the idea of mother abduction..she gave life..maybe u didnt allowed her to go back with the kids so she runned away with them..

[trafferazabu]

Thanks Obataladance. 'I never will take my kids away from daddy.' That's good enough for me. That's all many of us are asking. I hope you and your man never break up. And knowing that you would never consider keeping the kids away from their father means you already have the right idea of love.

[frbe0101]

@trafferazabu

Many of these abductors specifically said that, in court, under oath, clearly they lied.

[trafferazabu]

I saw my son today!!! It was a miracle. I was driving down the street on my scooter, believing that I would see him, and there he was. I didn't approach. It's been two years. But I did yell across the street with him. His big smile meant the world and means that at some point, we will have a relationship again. I can't wait.

[iluvinsung90]

Japanese hoars make babies for their pleasure and Japanese did like a campaign to make their short and ugly faced/tooth DNA better by making a mixed babies. This is not known to ppl but they did that long time ago.

[trafferazabu]

I don't know about a campaign. But it's true. Japanese love cute. And some Japanese do desire 'mixed' babies. And who wouldn't. We do spice of the Japanese blood just enough to make some beautiful babies. Hopefully it's not the reason you choose your spouse. This and to show that they are international is a reason some Japanese marry foreign.

[trafferazabu]

For some of us the option does not remain, no matter how matter we try or wish it to be so. Something about 'and the two shall be one' has to sink in on both sides.

[bobfrombarstow]

Sometimes there are things I probably can never understand! Such as pain of others, I regret my commit!

[trafferazabu]

Your comment was most welcome. We can't understand unless we discuss. Most importantly though, it's so encouraging to hear you had a long loving relationship with your Japanese wife. I'm a bit gun shy, especially of Japanese woman. Yet I'm still in Japan and have hopes for marriage. This is a dark side of divorce which needs to be resolved. Much of that can come by focusing on strong families. I'd love to hear more of your story, real love, real marriage with a Japanese. 41 years you said?

[bobfrombarstow]

My wife was from Shinjuku, we lived in the U.S. for 41 years, as long as we been married. I can't tell you why it worked, perhaps I was just blessed, if you believe in that sort of thing. Ironically, when we visited Japan in 2008, she became ill and passed away within or 5th day in Japan at Keio Unversity Hospital, Shinjuku. My tragedy is behind me, yours is not, I'll think you and hope things change for you and others who are facing this tragic dilemma. Take care, my friend.

[trafferazabu]

I believe it that sort of thing! Thanks Bob.

[mmt2853]

the japanese govt has had to look at this issue, they should have had an answer by now. Status quo is the norm over there, the courts will favor the japanese parent every time. I thought marring a girl from there but after reading all the stuff i have about this issue, i am not doing it.

i have said enough for now

peace

[mmt2853]

part 2 of my statement

Also i would not be surprised if the ex-wife were to have the father whacked in prison.

Let's face it in their society, when a couple gets divorced and their are kids invovled it's a clean break for both parents. The mother is raising the kids and the father has no contact.

Japan has been looking to adopt the hague convention about this for at least 25 years now.

you figure after that much time

see part 3

[trafferazabu]

I don't know how to get someone whacked in prison in any country. I bet that's the case for most Japanese also.There are several high profile cases where the father took the children. Former PM Koizumi is one case. It's first come first serve if you want to force the issue. Possession of the kids with money and good lawyers will decide the case if you choose to go that way. You have to decide from the start that the your spouse will never see the children again. That's cold in my mind.

[mmt2853]

i have met several ex-cons that were in prison here, they told me that where there is a will there is a way. I will leave the rest to your imagination. But i did read that the mother of the 2 kids told her ex that he does not know what she is capable of with that in mind what i said in my 2nd statement could happen.

[trafferazabu]

It's true though. In the vast majority of cases of young children, the mother is immediately seen as the person to receive custody. There is no dual custody. A couple hours per month visitation is seen as lucky. Nothing is enforced. Accept for the one case listed below, no Japanese court has ever ruled in favor of a foreign parent, mother or father. Not once! There was one case of a mother in the UK who refused to go to Japan for court. The Japanese court finally affirmed the UK ruling.

[mmt2853]

that's true but did you know there is a boy who came back to his father

Chris Gulrerra i think that how you spell his last name. His mommy dearest took him to japan when he was 10 and he left japan when he was 15, his brother is still over there, you got to admit for a kid to do that takes guts, also in a way he cut ties with his mother. see part 2

[mmt2853]

i kinda wonder how his mom can look herself in the mirror everyday, maybe she is like lady macbeth.

[trafferazabu]

Sorry, I missed this comment. Yeah, it's movie material. Great story. Brave, brave kid. Rumor has it the FBI and US consulate in Kansai were involved in helping him, which is the first I've heard they've helped. He had to run on his own though. Senseless that he and his brother can't grow up together by sharing homes.

[mmt2853]

i have been doing some more reading about this. I have some questions

1 did the father get his kids u.s. passports.

2. Why did the fatrher become a japanese citizen?

This is speculation on my part so please bear with me.

I wouldn't be suprised if the following happened to the father, he is charged of kidnapping, and convicted . Also they could get him with adultery.

[trafferazabu]

it's unlikely the father had the passports as it's sounds like the mother retained them from a previous trip to Japan. They would have both US and Japanese passports. The father could not get US passports issued without the mother's consent. Japanese passports or travel papers can be issued to one Japanese parent. He did not become a Japanese citizen. Yes he will be tried for child abduction while he is the only one with custody. Adultery is not a crime in either country.

[trafferazabu]

Just like a movie. You're running for the embassy gate screaming, "We're American." But this time the marines just stare from the other side. The gates stay shut. You're led away by foreign police. Where the hell is our government? Pls follow the case of Christopher Savoie arrested Tuesday in Fukuoka Japan at the US consulate gate for trying to get back his American kids who he has sole custody for. The gates stayed closed.

[mmt2853]

this is really shocking to me.

[trafferazabu]

Suggest you follow the Christopher Savoie case which is about to unfold. He was arrested in Fukuoka, Japan this Tuesday for trying to return his kids to the US. He has sole custody. This will likely be the 2nd recent case of a father being tried for child abduction. Not only does he have sole custody. Child abduction is never prosecuted in Japan. The only other case was a man who was trying to leave the country with his kids. The sentence for these cases is 5 years in prison.

[086256850]

What happen in woman's case?

American mom, Japanese dad.

If the father decides to take the kids to Japan, Will the mother be in the same situation as yours?

[trafferazabu]

Same situation. There was a high profile Cuban mother who lost her child in such a way. Once the children are in Japan, unless the Japanese parent decided to return them or allow the foreign parent to see them there is little hope of seeing the children again. Pls do a google search for Christopher Savoie was just arrested Tuesday for trying to get back the kids he has sole custody for.

[trafferazabu]

Here's an easy way to look at it. In the history of Japanese custody battles, only once to my knowledge have the courts ruled in favor of returning children to a foreign parent. Only once! This was the case of a California man whose Japanese wife died of cancer and the grandparents abducted the kids to Japan after the funeral, blaming the father for the cancer. It took just under two years to get the kids back. The kids had never lived in Japan, mother just died, torn from home and father.

[trafferazabu]

Foreign courts need to understand the situation better when they allow Japanese parents to visit home. Restrictions should be applied. Also, Japanese consulates around the world routinely issue travel papers for children to one parent. They are knowingly & actively complicit in international child abduction.

If not arrested for trying to leave Japan with my children, I would be arrested in the US. Let's make the reverse also true. And let's focus on one child, two parents.

[mreneedoty]

To all of you out there that have been forced to endure this nightmare, my heart goes out to you. I never knew this probem existed until just ysterday. I have been posting as much information as I can on the social networks to try and help you get the word out!

I also wrote letters to my senators and congressman to let them know that this issue needs to be addressed immediately and that we need to put the pressure on Japan!

Good luck to all of you and please never stop fighting!

[trafferazabu]

Thanks for your comment and even thinking about this issue. It's truly a pathetic situation. And it's our kids, the next generation, who are suffering the most.

[trafferazabu]

Please visit crnjapan(dot)com, The Japan Children's Rights Network, to learn more about child abduction in Japan. You're understanding of how many kids are missing in Japan just may embarrass this country into positive change.

[ekalmus]

I am so sorry to welcome you to our club. Keep up the good fight. Your children will know when they are older that you never gave up hope that one day you will be reunited.

[trafferazabu]

Thanks ekalmus. To everyone else out there in this situation, put some pictures of your kids up on YouTube, post a video response. Can't think of a better way to get this story, Child Abduction in Japan, out to the rest of the world, in hopes of making positive change. This picture video was made in about 30 minutes using Windows Movie Maker.