2.3 Hague Convention

Japan will announce it's plan to join Hague convention, an international treaty that deals with cross-border child custody disputes. The Hague Convention sets out procedures for resolving child custody cases in failed international marriages. Japan has yet to join it. Whether or not to join the convention has triggered a heated debate in japan, where it is customary for mothers to take sole care of children after divorce. The gavernment plans to dispatch officials to a special committee meeting of The Hague Conference on Private International Law in June and have them investigate how child custody is treated in member countries of the pact.


I think Japan should join the Hague convention as soon as possible, because children have a right to see their fathers. Even though parents get divorced, they have a duty to raise their children. I think each of the parents has a role for children. International marriage is also no exception in this case. I have been heard children who don't have a father tend to be narcissistic, because children feel sure they are number one in their house. It is important for children to know the existence of their father. For their children, Japan should sign the child custody treaty.