Family Law

May 2, 2016

Is it possible to apply to the Hague Convention from a non-signatory country?

The Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction is a treaty executed by over 90 countries around the world.  Like any other treaty, it binds the member countries to certain promises that must be upheld in relation to each other.  However, the Convention holds no power over countries that are not member States.  Therefore, applications cannot be made to or from countries that have yet to sign the Convention.
April 6, 2016

Is there any way to secure visitation rights through the Hague Convention on International Child Abduction?

In addition to cases seeking the return of an abducted child, the Hague Convention on International Child Abduction also accepts applications to ensure the effective exercise of rights of access and visitation for non-custodial parents.  For parents who have not been receiving adequate visitation with their abducted child, either through letters, emails, phone or video calls, this is a powerful tool to ensure visitation is maintained.
March 9, 2016

How does marriage affect separate and joint property in Japan?

Marriage in Japan, like many other parts of the world, acts not only as a social union but as an economic one as well.  In generally, husband and wife are expected to share property as one joint economic unit.  However, even after marriage there are certain objects that couples like to think of as solely their own and to some extent the law recognizes this. 
March 7, 2016

Is there a waiting period for women to remarry after a divorce?

Under statutory law in Japan, a woman must wait six months after the end of her previous marriage before she can remarry. This applies whether it was the husband or the wife who petitioned for divorce.  This law was originally designed to allow for time to clearly establish the father of any children born to the newly divorced wife, however, as technology has advanced, this 6 month waiting period has become less and less relevant. Therefore, in a recent decision, the Japanese Supreme Court ordered that the 6 month waiting period was unconstitutional.  However, to many women’s dismay, the court did […]