Youngest Ward Council Member| Dr. Kana Shindo's Thoughts on Joint Custody and Foster Care

June 22, 2024

In June 2024, Tokyo's Minato Ward will be an international city with embassies from all over the world. We interviewed Ms. Kana Shindo, the youngest ward assembly member, Youtuber, and animal rights activist, about her thoughts on joint custody and joint childcare, and the future of ward administration.

Table of Contents | Tap to jump to the place you want to read

Speech by Mr. Shindo, Minato Ward Council Member

We have heard that Dr. Shindo has been working energetically for the realization of joint custody and joint child-rearing for some time.

In fact, I myself am a child of divorced parents.
As you know, until now, the only options after divorce in Japan have been sole custody and sole child rearing. Such a system forces families facing the misfortune of divorce to engage in "parental strife," and even takes away the victim children's right to see their estranged parent, a system that carries the risk of being too harsh and harsh on children who need the love of both parents.

The most common victims of divorce are the children," and you held this in your heart as an actual experience.

Yes, I do. No matter what the circumstances, children do not want to see one parent speak ill of the other. The traditional system is hardly a "child-centered system".

What is in it for the child?How to make the system "child-centered," to think it through, to put it into action, is of utmost importance!I believe that this is the case.

How did you feel about the recent passage of the joint custody bill in the form of an "optional" form?

We consider it a great "first step". However, it is only a "first step," as other council members have stated,It is very important to ensure its "effectiveness" in the municipalities in the futureWe believe that this is the case.

I have expressed my opinions and discussed various measures for children at ward assembly meetings, but most of the responses I received were, "I want to wait and see what the national government does," which left me feeling frustrated that what should be done was not being realized.

This time,Clear guidelines for the entire country to move in the direction of joint custody and joint childcareI was given the opportunity toWe feel that the number of things that municipalities should and can do has increased dramatically.

Kana Shindo, a member of the Minato Ward Council, asks a question at the Minato Ward Council meeting.

In Minato Ward, Mr. Ai Seike was recently elected mayor.

Yes, I do. Mr. Seike's slogan is "an international city overflowing with love" and "an international city that values people," and I feel that there is no doubt that this is what I and all of PCB wish for: a society that values the bonds between parents and children.

From the standpoint of a council member, I too intend to unite forces with the new mayor and make a strong contribution to the realization of a new Minato Ward that values the "bond between parents and children".

What is your personal position, apart from your position as a ward councilor, regarding joint custody and joint upbringing?

Actually, I am,With the passage of the bill, I can now look forward to my own marriage.

Looking at the Japanese system and examples of marriage in the past, I thought, "Maybe it would be better not to get married. No matter how much you love each other and how close you are as a couple, problems are bound to occur. Under the conventional system, it is possible for a couple to overcome such problems by working together, but when one of them becomes suspicious or doubtful, he or she leaves home first with the children, and the couple divorces in court without ever discussing the matter. This means that many children have lost one parent that they could have avoided losing.

Also, for the parents, although there are naturally many different cases, it seemed that after the divorce, one of them would be extremely limited in work and would be solely responsible for child-rearing, while the other would also be extremely unable to see his/her children and would have to live sad days.

But with joint custody, it is quite the opposite. Because the bond between parents and children is unbreakable even after divorce, parents are able to discuss and overcome various problems before divorce, and even in the event of divorce, they can "share" child rearing, which leads to the point where parents can take care of their own lives as well.

Councilor Kana Shindo lives with her dog, a chihuahua.

So the post-divorce happiness security leads to the happiness security of the marriage itself.

Yes.For me, not yet married, post-divorce happiness and happiness in the marriage itself are a set.

Therefore, the passage of the joint custody bill has made me think seriously about my own marriage for the first time. I feel that a man who promises joint custody in case of future problems is responsible and wonderful, and I have come to seriously consider that I would be very happy in a marriage with such a man.

That is wonderful. Our organization will continue to work hard not only for the well-being of divorced parents and children, but also for the well-being of married couples and parents and children. Thank you very much for your time today.

Thank you very much.

For more information on Dr. Kana Shindo's activities, please refer to the following