Due to Japan's controversial single custody laws, child abductions by Japanese spouses have made international headlines over the years, affecting foreigners from the US, Australia, Europe, Canada, Singapore (and of course, Japan).
Notable recent cases include Japanese table tennis star, Ai Fukuhara, who was accused of kidnapping her child from her Taiwanese ex-husband (in 2023) and also Vincent Fichot, a French national who went on a 3-week hunger strike in 2021 to raise awareness about this issue ([ Ссылка ]).
I interviewed Catherine Henderson, an Australian victim of parental child kidnapping, to hear her harrowing experiences, the perverse incentives of the Japanese legal system and her warning for foreigners looking for a relationship in Japan.
Keep up to date with Catherine (@hayarinacat) via her website: [ Ссылка ]
Timestamps:
0:00 - Introduction
1:03 - Catherine's experience of child abduction by her Japanese ex-husband
2:10 - How joint custody works in Japan vs other countries
5:45 - The perverse financial incentives in the Japanese system
10:00 - Catherine reflects on Japan's culture & society
12:28 - Can Catherine's children reach out to her?
13:14 - Catherine's warning about having children in Japan
14:16 - Catherine's future plans
