http://moran.house.gov/list/press/va08_moran/JapanAbduction.shtml

Spotlights Victims, Introduces Resolution on Capitol Hill

Washington, D.C.,- Today, Virginia Democrat Congressman Jim Moran announced new action to address the troubling phenomena of child abduction to Japan.  Moran teamed up with Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ) to introduce a bipartisan resolution, H. Res. 1326, calling on the Government of Japan to immediately address the growing problem of spousal abduction of American children to Japan. The situation occurs when an American child is taken to Japan by one parent, usually a Japanese citizen, in contravention of the custodial parent's wishes.

“Families are being separated and innocent children hurt by these abductions.” said Moran, who introduced the measure today. “While Japan is a close ally, on this issue we need resolution. I hope today’s press conference serves as a wake up call to the Japanese government; we need to work on this issue together to bring closure for the families affected.”

At least 121 American children are currently being held in Japan under these circumstances. Nationwide, the State Department has recorded 269 abducted children since 1994.

The resolution contains the following provisions:

1. 1. •Calls on U.S. and Japanese officials to work together to return abducted children to their custodial parent or to the original jurisdiction for a custody determination in the U.S.
      

   2. •Calls on the Japanese government to provide left-behind parents immediate access to their children
      

   3. •Calls on Japan to adopt without delay the 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction.
      

2. Original sponsors of H. Res. 1326 include: Reps. Christopher Smith, Maurice Hinchey, Gary Miller and Marsha Blackburn.
   

Representative Moran delivered the following remarks:

“The United States and Japan have a strong and critical alliance that is vitally important to both of our countries, to the Asia-Pacific region, and to the world. It is based on shared interests and values and our common support for political and economic freedoms, human rights, and international law. Japan now participates in our Pacific Partnership Initiative bringing humanitarian civic assistance to countries in Southeast Asia. Japan is second to none in supporting President Barak Obama’s vision of a "world without nuclear weapons" and advocating for nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation. Japan also supports our mission in Afghanistan and has recently doubled its civilian aid to the country providing much needed funds for job training, agriculture support, infrastructure and security training.

“But as a friend of Japan and the Japanese people, I am compelled to bring to their attention by resolution a concern involving 269 American children who have been abducted to and/or wrongfully retained in Japan since 1994.  These American children are in Japan as a result of kidnapping by a parent with Japanese citizenship following the dissolution of their relationship to the American citizen parent. Research shows that abducted children are at risk of serious emotional and psychological problems and have been found to experience anxiety, eating problems, nightmares, mood swings, sleep disturbances, aggressive behavior, resentment, guilt and fearfulness, and as adults may struggle with identity issues, their own personal relationships and parenting.

“Despite a shared concern within the international community, the Japanese government has yet to accede to the 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction or create any other mechanism to resolve international child abductions. Japan’s existing family law system neither recognizes joint custody nor actively enforces parental access agreements for either its own citizens or foreigners. Most troubling, the existing legal system relies exclusively on the voluntary cooperation of the parent or guardian who has abducted the child.  American parents must beg to see their abducted children and have no legal recourse if the taking parent denies them access. Consequently, American parents are calling on the U.S. government to urgently intervene and quickly find a diplomatic solution.

“I ask for my colleague’s support on a bipartisan resolution supported by Rep. Christopher Smith, Rep. Maurice Hinchey, Rep. Garry Miller, and Rep. Marsha Blackburn, calling on the Japanese government to address the growing problem of abduction and retention of American children in Japan. The resolution calls for Japanese officials to work closely with the United States to return these children to their custodial parent or to the original jurisdiction for a custody determination in the United States, and to provide left-behind parents immediate access to their children. Finally, the resolution calls for Japan to adopt without delay the 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction. The well-being of these children should be an issue where agreement can be reached and distraught parents are reunited with their children. I call on the Government of Japan to work closely with the U.S. Government to resolve current cases and establish an efficient mechanism to resolve future potential cases of abduction.”

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