Normally, a child born in wedlock, or within 200 days of the start of a marriage, or 300 days from the dissolution of a marriage, will be presumed to be the child of the husband. However, in the case of a child born outside of these circumstances the court may order a paternity test to determine the father of the child in order to assign responsibility for child support.
If a single mother wishes to establish a child support order against the child’s father, she must first ask the court to order a paternity test against the man she believes to be the father. These paternity tests can be quite expensive and are a cost that must be borne by the parties. However, depending on the circumstances, financial aid may be available.
If you have any questions about paternity in Japan please contact our office to set up a legal consultation.