divorce

A couple scheduled for divorce mediation will be given a time to report to their local family court.  Since the couple will enter mediation separately, usually the times for them to arrive will be staggered, so one spouse arrives after the other spouse has already started mediation.  This reduces the likelihood that the couple will run into each other in the family court lobby or hallway.

Spouses who are worried that their partner might file a fraudulent divorce registration in Japan can file a Non-Acceptance of Notification of Divorce (rikon fujuri moshidesho 離婚不受理申出書) in order to prevent acceptance of a divorce form.  While this non-acceptance used to only last for 6 months, in 2008 the law was changed to allow such non-acceptance to be valid until withdrawn by the submitting spouse.

To obtain a court-ordered divorce in Japan, there must be statutorily recognized reason for granting the divorce.  Adultery is one of those five recognized reasons.  However, while adultery does provide a potential basis for divorce, divorce will not be automatically granted when one spouse has been unfaithful.