Arab News Japan

TOKYO: The European Parliament adopted a resolution to try to end the “abduction” of children by one parent in Japan and allow legal shared custody by both parents in a plenary session on Wednesday, July 8, with 686 votes for, 1 vote against and 8 abstentions.

Parliament Members are calling on the Japanese authorities to apply international rules to issues of childcare, access and visitation rights after the parents’ separation or divorce.

Through the resolution, the Parliament insists that the child’s safety and best interests should be preserved to avoid the negative consequences of abduction by one parent on the child’s development.

As underlined by international conventions on the protection of children, children have the right to see both parents. The Parliament Members insist that transnational rules should be put in place to settle family disputes and prevent the risk of abduction.

In 2019, German Chancelor Angela Merkel, French President Emmanuel Macron and Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte met with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to ensure that Japan respect the United Nations Convention and the Hague Convention on the matter.

Each year around 150,000 children of Japanese parents and mixed couples are abducted by one of the parents, which can result in depression and even suicide by parents deprived of custody.