Parental Circumstances and Child Rights

RIRIKA is studying to become an obstetrician/gynecologist at a medical university in Hungary. She is witnessing a new life, and what she thinks about the Japanese custody system, which is halfway between an adult and a child. She wrote down her thoughts.

Japanese medical student living in Hungary | RIRIKA

Nice to meet you. My name is RIRIKA and I am a student at a medical university in Hungary. I am studying obstetrics and gynecology at a medical university abroad, and while experiencing the wonderful bond between parents and children every day, I became very interested in the issue of divorced parents and children in my birth country, Japan. It is a serious problem that children who are supposed to be happy with a lot of love from their parents cannot see their parents due to divorce, and I hope that this problem will be overcome as soon as possible.

I wanted to study the whole issue again, so I read the answers on the "joint custody" bill that was debated in the Diet this spring. I found out that this is a complicated issue involving the difference between custody and parental authority, joint child-rearing plans, parent education courses, removal issues, and various other circumstances. I was particularly impressed by the fact that currently in Japan, only about 30% of parents and children exchange after divorce, and similarly, only 30% of child support is paid.Divorce is a parental situation and should not be the responsibility of the children, but I felt that it is very unreasonable from the children's point of view that 70% of the children lose the right to see their parents because of such parental situations.It is a very big problem that children do not receive love from their parents during the process of growing up. I felt that the current situation of parent-child problems in Japan was more serious than I had thought.

Yes, I have been a part of the culture of other countries since I was a child. I have been exposed to foreign cultures since my childhood.In the U.S., it's only natural that negotiations take place between divorcing parents so that they can see their children as often as possible.It is also considered to be a parental duty. Naturally, I thought it was the same in Japan, but I was very shocked to learn that parents who lost custody in Japan did not even have the right to negotiate for it. Also,There is no social or organizational structure to manage the situation when a child wants to meet the separated parent independently of the cohabiting parent's wishes.I was very skeptical about whether such a system was really for the benefit of children. I am currently living away from my parents due to study abroad, and although I can contact them anytime via video calls and e-mails, I still feel lonely at times. Even as a college student, I still feel that way, and it saddens me to think of how lonely and inconsolable young children must feel when they lose contact with one of their parents the moment they divorce. I was reminded of the preciousness of the bond between parents and children, which I had taken for granted, and I also felt that it is very important to realize a society in which all children can meet their parents as soon as possible, for the sake of those children who are still suffering from the loneliness of not being able to see their parents, even at this very moment. I felt that it is very important to realize a society in which all children can meet their parents as soon as possible.

One of the solutions mentioned by many members of the Diet to this situation was "parent education and publicity about co-parenting," and in particular, "the importance of a childcare planning course. In Hungary, where I am studying, of course, but also in numerous other countries,Parents are required to take parent education courses and develop a joint parenting plan when divorcingDivorce can be a difficult relationship to discuss. Divorce is related to a variety of circumstances depending on the family, and post-divorce couples may have a difficult relationship to discuss,As a parent, the "best interest of the child" is paramount.I believe that it is. And in order to protect it, I think it is essential to realize joint custody, and it is also necessary to call for parent education courses and the formulation of joint child-rearing plans at the time of divorce, and if possible, to instill this as a parental duty. Recognizing that "there are situations in which even divorced couples must cooperate for the sake of their children," this was part of what was discussed in the Diet deliberations, and for this reason, I believe that the "parents' mutual obligation to respect each other's character and cooperate" is important.

Yes. Regarding joint child-rearing plans, he said, "In the U.S., it took 10 years until the joint custody system was established and a joint child-rearing plan was completed. I think it will take the same time in Japan." What was your answer to this question?While such systems have already been established in other countries and are widely accepted by society, it seems strange to spend the same 10 years just to introduce a similar system.I felt that this was a good thing. Children grow up day by day, and they do not wait for the convenience of adults. As soon as possible, I would like to study good practices in foreign countries and introduce them to Japan, and for this purpose, I would like to work together with organizations like PCB. I understand that there are various circumstances for the parents' generation, but the greatest victims of divorce are the children, and I feel that a social system that focuses on the children is exactly what is needed now. I hope that the passage of this bill will help to focus the attention of society as a whole on this issue.

Finally.

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