On November 26, 2021, the EU Ambassador to Japan Patricia Flor, MP Masahiko Shibayama and MP Banri Kaieda had a meeting in Tokyo on the parental child abduction problem in Japan.
The head director of an NGO, Children’s Rights Watch Japan, Koichi Nagasato, and the head director of an NGO, Family Bonding Association, Osamu Kon participated in the meeting as well.
Patricia Flor stated: “Children’s rights should be fully assured in the EU. Access to children after divorce and separation is especially significant. The EU and Japan are subject to The Hague Convention and United Nations Convention on Rights of the Child. Both the EU and Japan should follow the treaties. Japan is currently required to introduce a joint custody system by the United Nations. The EU can share their experience with Japan. I would like to enhance the cooperation between the EU and Japan in terms of children’s rights if possible.”
MP Shibayama stated: “It is extremely dishonorable that the EU parliament made a resolution to criticize Japan for the parental child abduction issue.”
MP Banri Kaieda stated: “I totally agree with what Ambassador Patricia Flor stated.”
The EU and the parliamentary league for joint custody agreed to cooperate each other to solve the parental child abduction problem in Japan.
