Japan changed its divorce law on April 1 — for the first time since the postwar era. Divorced parents can now choose joint custody. But the new law is already deeply contested.

In this week’s Japan Today Spotlight, we break down what the law does, why it took decades to arrive and what it means for the thousands of parents who have spent years fighting to see their children. Journalist Aki Shibuya joins with firsthand accounts — including a father who has been in a custody battle for three and a half years and still doesn’t know where his son is.

Watch the full video on YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7T1FmZdv3A

Do you think Japan’s new joint custody law strikes the right balance — or does it create more problems than it solves? Tell us in the comments. We especially want to hear from anyone who has personal experience with Japan’s family court system.

Chapters

  • 00:00 Intro: A law decades in the making
  • 00:47 What the new law actually does
  • 02:31 A change long overdue
  • 04:13 Parental kidnappings: The international dimension
  • 05:48 Aki Shibuya: The case against joint custody
  • 08:23 Is joint custody enough?
  • 09:40 Outro

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