News On Japan

Japan's sole custody laws have been criticised for incentivising child abduction, but the system may be about to change

Jul 21 (MSN) - Japan is an outlier among wealthy nations in not recognising joint custody, where both parents can spend time with their children after a break-up.

Rather, the legal system will grant full control and responsibility to the parent who was last taking care of the child, stating it's in the child's best interest to stay at their "usual place of residence".

These laws have been criticised as incentivising child abduction, as a parent can secretly relocate their child or children and then claim custody when the courts become involved.

There are no official statistics on the number of children abducted or estranged through sole custody arrangements in Japan.

However, non-profit organisation Kizuna Child-Parent Reunion estimated in 2010 that 150,000 children lose contact with their non-custodial parent each year.

At least 82 Australian children have been abducted or otherwise taken into custody by a sole Japanese parent since 2004.

Currently, the Australian embassy is aiding 15 affected parents in matters concerning 22 children. ...continue reading

News On Japan
POPULAR NEWS

The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare plans to introduce a new system starting in June 2027 that will, in principle, deny changes or renewals of residence status for foreign residents who fail to pay their national health insurance premiums despite repeated requests for payment.

As of November 4th, the Japan Meteorological Agency announced that a tropical depression near the Caroline Islands is expected to develop into a typhoon within the next 24 hours. The system is separate from Typhoon No. 25 (Haiyan) currently near the Philippines and is projected to move northwestward once it intensifies.

China’s Foreign Ministry announced that it will extend visa-free entry for Japan, France, and 43 other countries until the end of December 2026, as the government seeks to attract more overseas investment and tourists amid a prolonged economic slowdown.

Japan’s record-breaking bear crisis has entered a new and deadly phase, with authorities confirming that a 79-year-old woman missing in Akita Prefecture was found dead in the mountains, believed to be the 13th fatality from bear attacks this year.

An outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza has been confirmed at a poultry farm in Eniwa City, Hokkaido, prompting authorities to begin culling operations on Sunday afternoon.

MEDIA CHANNELS
         

MORE Education NEWS

In the 18th installment of the series “Paths for Science Students,” Mitsubishi UFJ Trust Bank’s Eguchi offered a detailed look into the little-known but vital world of actuaries—professionals who apply mathematics, probability, and statistics to assess financial risks in pensions and insurance.

The Liberal Democratic Party, Nippon Ishin no Kai, and Komeito have reached an agreement on the framework for Japan’s new free high school tuition program, which will begin in fiscal 2026. Under the plan, tuition support for private full-time high schools will be capped at 457,000 yen, while correspondence courses will have an upper limit of 337,000 yen.

The number of disciplinary actions at public elementary and junior high schools in Aichi Prefecture during the first half of 2025 has exceeded three times that of the same period last year, prompting growing concern among parents over how to engage with schools.

Teachers from across Japan are gathering in Nagoya to compete in a national contest that tests and refines their classroom teaching skills. The event, called the "National Mock Lesson Championship in Nagoya," is organized by the Noda Juku preparatory school to help both cram school instructors and school teachers improve their teaching techniques.

Fonts are an invisible part of daily life, yet they profoundly shape how we perceive information and emotion. From the elegant Mincho to the bold Gothic, these designs are chosen according to purpose—whether to convey clarity, trust, or impact—and their influence extends beyond readability into branding and communication.

Tokyo police have arrested a Chinese national on suspicion of document forgery and other offenses in connection with a case of TOEIC exam fraud involving impersonation.

Tokyo’s seas and rivers, once considered lawless backwaters beyond the reach of regular policing, are now under constant watch by a dedicated force known as the “water police,” specialists who patrol the capital’s waterways, chase down smugglers, stop reckless jet ski riders, and carry out dramatic rescue missions to save lives.

A rapidly growing data science program at the University of Tokyo is attracting an unusually wide range of participants, with junior high and high school students studying alongside university students and working adults.