Legislation to Change Japan’s Child Custody Laws Passes Japan’s House of Representatives, Where Do Child Custody Laws in Chicago Stand?

On Tuesday, April 16, news that Japan’s House of Representatives passed a bill that inches the country closer to changing its child custody laws. According to Kyodo News English, the new legislation was introduced this year in Japan’s house of Representatives to change what some say are controversial child custody laws, laws that are certainly much different from many other countries around the world. Currently, under the Japanese civil code, when a couple gets divorced in Japan, and there is a child involved in the marriage, only one parent is allowed to have sole custody of the child. Stated another way, in Japan, under current Japanese custody laws, joint custody of a child between parents is not allowed. Proponents of the changes to the laws say that these changes to Japan’s child custody laws are necessary because they provide more rights to foreign parents and they bring Japanese custody law more in line with other countries around the globe. As of 2021, there are currently 180,000 children in Japan with divorced parents in Japan, a significant and recent increase from only 70,000 in 1960.

Preventing Further Abuse by an Abusive Parent

Although the changes to Japan’s child custody laws have much support, opponents of the legislation claim that it takes away important protections from child abuse and domestic abuse survivors. Domestic violence victims gathered outside the Justice Ministry in Tokyo in January to protest joint-custody family laws in Japan, fearing that the bill could prevent domestic abuse victims from “severing ties” with their abusive spouses. In addition, they fear that the bill may pose challenges for some domestic violence victims because “such victims may not be able to negotiate single custody or joint custody on equal footing.” However, the bill was modified as it took its course through the House, and, in its form as passed by the House, would require parents to “confirm the true intention” of seeking child custody and where child abuse or domestic violence is suspected in the marriage, the bill would require the parent who is not the abuser to have sole custody of the child.

Child Custody Laws in Chicago Under Illinois Laws

In Chicago, under Illinois child custody laws, parents may be granted sole custody or joint custody of a child in a divorce proceeding. Of course, in order to determine your rights and options in your Chicago divorce case, it is best to speak with an experienced Chicago child custody lawyer as soon as possible about your rights and options.

The experienced Chicago child custody lawyers at the law firm Birnbaum Gelfman Sharma & Arnoux, LLC are here to help Chicago parents with their child custody matters. They offer a confidential consultation to learn about your Chicago child custody case to see if they can help fight for you. Contact the experienced Chicago custody lawyers at Birnbaum Gelfman Sharma & Arnoux, LLC today and speak to a lawyer about your case now.

Source:

english.kyodonews.net/news/2024/04/b6202e9a6a4e-japan-lower-house-oks-bill-to-allow-joint-custody-after-divorce.html