Japan is one of the few countries in the world with a sole custody system. In Japan, married parents share the parental rights of a child. But after divorce, only one parent, either the father or mother, can have parental rights. But in disputed cases, Japanese family courts nearly always grant sole custody to whoever has physical control of the children at the time. In simple terms: If you have them, you get them. Dateline investigates Japan’s controversial sole custody system that’s snared 82 Australian children in parental abduction and custody cases, preventing some parents from seeing their kids. Australian mum Catherine Henderson says she hasn’t spoken with her two teenage children since they were abducted by their father over three years ago; something that’s legal under Japan’s custody system. She recalls being on the way home from work when her laywer informed her: “We’ve just received a fax from your husband’s lawyer saying that he and the children have moved out”.
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SBS Australia – Ref. 8389
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