Senate Estimates provides an opportunity for us to raise concerns from our constituents. One such issue I brought up was the abduction of Australian children to Japan.
I asked the panel if they were aware of the situation and the Secretary, a former ambassador to Japan, responded by explaining that Australia has been actively working with Japan to update its family law system. He mentioned that joint custody would be introduced in Japan by 2026.
Senator Penny Wong confirmed this and elaborated on the steps Australia has taken to address this tragic situation where families are being separated.
I would say that it’s a mixed marriage where more than likely the wife was Japanese and the husband an Aussie , due to cultural differences & marriage incompatibility it has ended and she has taken the child back to Japan where the child would have a better upbringing than here not to mention being around others with whom they can feel comfortable and have things in common like language ,,! This is because Japanese have a strong identity and would have a harder time adapting to this life . If the father is serious about time together with the child then he should make arrangements to go over there to spend time together . , moving the child back and forth on a plane to and from Australia will be a problem especially if they are very young and who’s going to guarantee that the father won’t disappear with the child out of spite ? Most marriages I’ve found between Australian men and Japanese women collapse due to lack of input by the father money example , lack of respect and understanding on the father’s part and the Japanese women being ending up carrying a huge burden of bringing up the child and bringing home the bacon .
Next point is very rarely will a couple from Japan come here have a child and one of the parents return should the marriage fail .
On one more note ; a woman who took her child back to Taiwan without going through the legal process had the child physically removed and bought back to Australia by authorities to the Australian father . The father disbanded the child after a few years so the mother in Taiwan came over to resume parenting the child of whom by now at the point of time was getting in trouble with the law . Because the mother felt she had let the child down spoiled her child and now he’s in trouble with the law frequently .
In my opinion it would have been better if the child had stayed with the mother in Taiwan .