On November 15th 2003 my twin 5-year old children, Karsten Stouffer and Maple Stouffer were abducted from Orange Country California, by their Japanese Grandfather, Fumihiko Miyazaki and are now in Sapporo Japan. His address and the location of the children is:

Fumihiko Miyazaki

Minami 17, Nishi 18, 1-38

Chuo-ku, Sapporo 064-0917

Japan

My children were abducted 2 days before the death of their mother, Junko Miyazaki the daughter of Fumihiko and Seitsiko Miyazaki. My wife died of Breast cancer, a disease that she had for the past 4 years.

My children were born in Irvine California and have lived in Southern California all their life. I have Original Birth certificates and current Passports, and court documents showing that I have full custody. The children which I can send photo appear “Americanized” in features, i.e. they do not appear to be completely of Japanese descent. I am prepared to give DNA evidence to prove I am the father.

Somehow unknown to me they also had Japanese passports, which the grandparents used to take them out of the country. My Japanese friend suspects that they were registered under a false Koseki tohon (Shohan). (I will be receiving their Japanese names soon and can forward this to you.) This is currently under investigation by Jim Bassin in the DA’s Child Abduction unit 714 347-8839 and the FBI in Washington.

My children were abducted and taken away from their father who provided for them, from friends and their school, which they dearly loved (Maple received the highest award in Kinder garden last semester). They now have lost their Mother, their Father, they are in unfamiliar surroundings and they now have to adopt a new name. They were taken without any toys; just a few clothes, and no stuffed animals carried around for security. I feel that the children have suffered emotional strain from all of this and I feel that it is best for the children for me to retrieve them as soon as possible.

The Embassy says "they have not experienced a case as this before", so they judge it as a civil matter to go through the courts. BUT IT IS A KIDNAPPING. The attorney says if the FBI calls it a crime then they can involve Interpol and get my kids back more quickly.

john

Please send comments, suggestions, or words of encouragement to js9354 @ aol.com

Dear Mr. Stouffer,

Per your request, my consular assistant, Mr. Morikoshi, and I visited Maple and Karsten today at the home of their grandparents, the Miyazakis.  The visit was very short, about five minutes, and I am happy to tell you that both children seem to be doing well and were playing together with Legos while we were there. The Miyazakis were quite nice and invited us into their house, and both of the children said hello and goodbye to me.  They were fairly involved with their game for much additional interaction.  Both Maple and Karsten are adorable, and quite creative, I might add.

The Miyazakis explained a little bit about the situation, saying that their daughter had just passed away.  While we did not go into any great detail, from the short conversation it seems that they are unaware that you have full custody of the children; this may be something your lawyer might want to discuss with them. 

I can tell you, however, that they are safe and warm and appear to be quite healthy; I hope that can put your mind at ease somewhat.

Best regards,
Elise

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Elise J. Fox
Consul
U.S. Consulate General Sapporo, Japan
TEL: 011-641-1115, FAX: 011-643-1283
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LETTER FROM JAPANESE LAWYER (?)

Dear Mr. Stouffer,

Before I can offer any help, I need more information.

1. I need more detailed information about the abduction.  When? Where?
How?

2. Where were you married?  In the U.S.? In Japan?  Was your marriage
registered in both countries?

3. What is happening with the FBI?  Is this case being treated as a
criminal case?

4. I will need copies of all legal documents pertaining to custody
rights.

If the FBI contact the police here, and it is treated as a criminal
procedure, there maybe a chance of getting your children back sooner.
If it treated as a civil case, the process of removing your children
from their grandparent's home is more involved that it may be in the U.S. 
Even if all paper work is in order, law enforcement can not just enter
the home and remove the children.  We need a court order before the
children can be returned to you. Once the process begins, at the very
least, it will take at one month.
 

<rest omitted>

Final Update: November 2005

It was a success getting Karsten and Maple out of Japan and I will hopefully write something to your Web site in the next few weeks. Never realized how bad Japan is in regards to Child custody. They need to change.

I think the key in my case was to try the case in civil court as "a stolen piece of property." Forget about "Family Court". And to act quickly. And of course to have a dead wife. But it still was not easy. The Grandparents threw lots of lies out to the court. And the Judges were not interested in the facts. They just want to hear the "dirt" about why I divorced my ex wife, something that had nothing to do with custody in the U.S. through the Children's therapy over the past 1.5 years I have heard some more lies the Grandparents created, and of the kids existence during the 3 months that it took to get the case through the court system. Items such as "John created a bug that your Mother swallowed, your Mother ate it and then got sick and died" (No wonder my kids are so afraid of bugs) And that Karsten looked out the window and cried every day waiting for me to return.  Hopefully they will be able to work through the emotional difficulties.

It is difficult being a single parent. Completely occupies my time. But the kids appreciate my efforts, and I know when they grow up and no longer need me, I will miss the struggle. They are doing well at school and in extra curricular activities.

END