CCCJ Statement on the Issue of Parental Child Abduction

Tokyo, September 21, 2010: The Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Japan supports the statements of our Ambassador and the Ambassadors of Australia, France, Italy, New Zealand, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States issued on the 16th of October 2009 and the 18th of March 2010 expressing concern to the Government of Japan about the increase in international parental abduction cases involving Japan and affecting Canadian Nationals.

Japan is an important friend and partner of Canada, and we share many values in common. This makes it all the more important to develop tangible solutions to cases of parental child abduction in Japan.  We are eager to work closely and in a positive manner with the new Japanese government on this issue in light of several well publicized cases of parents abducting children to Japan in direct contravention of court rulings in other nations.

The Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Japan believes strongly in developing and maintaining close business and cultural ties between our two countries and that an important pillar of such ties is founded on a stable family life centered around children and their best interests. In this connection, many of our members are in Japan with families and in bicultural marriages and, at least until Japan joins the Hague ‘Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction’, there will continue to be a perception of risk in living and working in Japan. We note with satisfaction that Japan has indicated that it will join the Hague and we trust that this will occur as soon as possible.”

The CCCJ calls for the government of Japan to identify and implement measures to enable parents who are separated from their children to maintain contact with them and ensure visitation rights, and to establish a framework for resolution of current child abduction cases. Specifically the Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Japan urges the Japanese government to consider amendments to the family law of Japan and entrenchment of judicial guidelines as to the principles of joint custody, ‘best interests of the child’, access and visitation rights and an effective enforcement mechanism for all of these.

We believe that such amendments are an effective way to bring Japan in line with the majority of developed nations in giving full effect to the rights of children as enshrined in the Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989) as ratified by Japan[1]

The Board of Governors
Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Japan

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About the CCCJ
Promoting the development of commerce between Canada and Japan since 1975, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Japan (CCCJ) is a private sector, not-for-profit business organization serving its members through communications, networking and advocacy. Representing some 33 business sectors, the CCCJ is a member-driven, member-focused organization and is the longest serving Canadian Chamber in Asia with over 300 members. Our members represent a broad cross-section of businesspersons and entrepreneurs from Canada, Japan and other countries. They include Canadian companies operating in Japan, Japanese companies and individuals with ties to Canada, small business owners and Canadians working in Japan.
 

[1] Japan ratified the Convention in 1994 and its two Optional Protocols (Armed conflict and the sale of children) in 2004 and 2005 respectively