[ad_1]
The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs warns Australian residents and visitors to Japan that Japanese courts “usually give sole custody to the parent that has taken care of the child most recently” triggering a race to snatch children as relationships sour.
Wong met with one of the Japanese government’s fiercest critics of its response to child abductions on Thursday. The meeting with opposition MP Mizuho Umemura in Canberra – a break from diplomatic protocol – followed months of growing pressure on the Australian government to do more to address a situation that has frustrated both Coalition and Labor governments for the past two decades.
“They discussed Japan’s consideration of family law reform, and Australia’s support for an approach that allows for shared parenting,” a spokesperson for the foreign minister said.
Wong also met with Australian mother Catherine Henderson. Henderson last saw her then 10-year-old son and 14-year-old daughter four years ago in Tokyo when they were suddenly taken by their Japanese father from their family home.
“This year is a really important year,” said Henderson. “It’s not just the 82 Australian children, the fact is, it’s happening all through Japanese society. It’s terrible.”
After years of quiet diplomacy, the Australian government has become increasingly active in recent months in pushing Tokyo to enact reforms on what has historically been viewed as a domestic policy issue.
Australia is one of seven countries including the United Kingdom that have written to Japan urging them to push through reforms, but the letter has yet to be released publicly.
Birmingham, who also met with Henderson and Umemura in Canberra, said he encouraged the Albanese government to be more transparent about its efforts to secure positive reforms from Japan’s current review of its child custody laws.
Wong raised the concerns of Australian parents with her Japanese counterpart Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi earlier this year. The Australian embassy also lobbied Japan’s Justice Minister Ken Saito before sending in a submission to Japan’s family law review that has also yet to be made public.
Loading
Birmingham’s support now gives Wong political cover to ramp up public pressure on Japan.
“She understands the pain and distress these families are feeling is immense,” Wong’s spokesperson said.
“The Australian government will continue to engage with affected families and with the Japanese government to support these families to be reunited.”
[ad_2]
Source link