There are an estimated 1,400 British children currently parentally abducted to or within Japan from their left behind British parent. Despite being signatory to the UNCRC in 1994, and the Hage Convention in 2014, once being taken to Japan, there is no effective mechanism for these children to be returned to their left behind parent or even reunited in any meaningful way with their left behind parent. With Japan not recognising the international joint custody rights of these parents or upholding its international treaty obligations, these abducted children are denied access to their left behind parent and in many cases are left to be parentally alienated by their abducting parent against their left behind parent. Once the child has been abducted to or within Japan or alienated in Japan, there is nothing the left behind parent can do. Left behind British parents spend years fighting for their international right to be reunited with their children. Cases often spend years going through a Japanese mediation process - a process which has no power of enforcement in Japan and places the decision to allow access to the abducted / alienated children in the hands of the abductor / alienating parent. After a mediation process in Japan, cases can be sent to a judge ruled "Shinpan" court - again a process which has no power of enforcement in Japan and places the decision to allow access to the abducted / alienated children in the hands of the abductor / alienating parent. This process takes many years and takes an incredible emotional and financial burden on the left behind parent fighting for the right to have access to their children.

Internationally, from 2014 a left behind parent can apply under the Hague Convention to attain a court order for the return of their abducted child back to their home country, or for Hague Convention related visitation rights if the abducted child has spent an amount of time in Japan after they have been abducted and it would be deemed not in the best interest of the child to be returned to the country they were abducted from if due to the amount of time elapsed since the abduction they had effectively settled in Japan. Hague Convention cases are as such supposed to be dealt with quickly and enforced. Japan has a long history of taking its time on Hague Convention cases. Japan also has a poor record of enforcing Hague Convention return orders. In many cases, even if a left behind parent has an internationally recognised Hague Convention return order, this is rarely enforced in Japan. In Japan, even with a Hague Convention return order, the decision to return the child is left to the decision of the abducting parent.

Many British parents have contacted the Foreign & Commonwealth Office, their MP, The Minister of Asia, The Japanese Embassy, The British Embassy in Japan, Reunite Organisation to ask for help for their children to be reunited but as of yet, Britain unlike the E.U. and America has not taken any action on meaningfully helping its children and left behind parents. Britain needs to do more and make it clear to Japan that abduction of British children is not acceptable.

Representaitive cases of the many more left behind British parents and their children that need the British governments help:

1994           Japan Becomes Signatory to United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child

CASES

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Parent

Nationality

Date Child Abducted to or within Japan

Children

Current Case Status

Shane Clarke

Alex Kahney

2008

2010

2

2

2014         Japan Becomes Signatory to Hague Convention

Pre Hague Convention Cases

Post Hague Convention Cases

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Paul Halton

Neil Mallabar

Adam Perry

2014

2017

2017

3

2

1

Still not reunited

Still not reunited

Still not reunited

Still not reunited

Still not reunited

Internationally Recognised Joint Costody

Joint Costody Recognised In Japan

Yes

Yes

No

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

No

No

Note

Children abducted from UK while still married

Children abducted within Japan while still married

Children abducted from UK while still married Has Hague Return order

Children alienated in Japan after divorce

Children abducted within Japan while still married