Most child abductions by Japanese women are a result of spousal violence.

What a joke. Typical Japanese response to criticism from the international community; paint foreigners as the evil reason behind their shortcomings.

and the supporting evidence is? seems to me that most child abductions are as a result of pressure from the japanese spouse's parents

While some foreign husbands may be violent, I've heard that Japanese men can get quite unhinged at their wives, for even trifling reasons. This sounds just like another lame excuse. Join the Hague Convention already, Japan! Please, enter the 21st century....

No way the foreign guy could ever responsible for marital breakdown! It's all the fault of these scheming, calculating, child-snatching J-women!

Nobody's saying that, Altria. However, it is interestign that Japanese parents tend to bring their children back to Japan, where the foreign husband or wife has no recourse. Interesting that it is admitted that J-parents separating form their foreign spouses and bringing children back to Japan is a growing trend.

Kensuke Ohnuki,should tell a bit more that he/she got no proof since the j-woman already kidnap the kid before any court has ever had a change to justifies who right, who wrong, who using violence and who will get to take care of the kid!

Of course there are a small number of women all over the world who make up stories of abuse to try and gain custody. That doesn't prove that any of these women are lying though, be it the Japanese ones mentioned here or all the countless others in different countries. Those men who are guilty of abuse aren't just going to admit it after all, especially if they want custody of their kids.

I'm quite sure there are also plenty of men who make up stories too, but this lawyer presumably only assists women so he's not got any juicy stories for us.

Also, take not of the fact that he handles about 200 mixed race divorce cases per year, not 200 child abduction cases. There's no mention of how many of those he handles per year, just the simple fact that 'most' of them are a result of violence, (alleged or otherwise, we don't know if it even came to the attention of police let alone the courts.)

Kensuke Ohnuki was my attorney from 2003 through 2006. Here is another quote from him that he sent to me by email on September 7, 2004. I still have the original email.

Mr. Ohnuki stated; “As you point out, we are challenged by racism and discrimination of Japanese court everyday since we usually represent foreigners. But I know judges become furious if I point out his racism or discrimination. Racism is firmly rooted in Japanese society and even intelligent people refuses to see their own racism. Almost all Japanese believes foreigners are deteriorating the security of Japanese society, which is wrong according to crime statistics.” He concluded his e-mail by stating “Please understand your case is not a piece of cake because of the racism and irrationalism of Japan. It might be something like defending Taliban in US”

This was a quote by Kensuke Ohnuki. It sounds to me like Mr. Ohnuki is talking out of both sides of his mouth, depending on who the audience is. Thanks for listening. Commander Paul Toland, US Navy

Where does Ohnuki get his facts? Is he talking about most of his cases or most cases in Japan? Either way it is simply not true. There is no evidence most woman have been abused. If there were statistics or evidence I am sure Ohnuki would mention these things. I wonder why Ohnuki was removed from the US embassy's list of recommended lawyers? I am guessing it is because he had several complaints filed against him for acting unethically and immorally. He should be removed from the Bar.

Mr. Ohunki is a liar, racist, and con man. There is a good reason why the US State Department dropped him from the recommended list of attorneys in which a US citizen could trust. Why do you papers consider him to have any credibility? Why don't you check his credientials and the complaints filed by his clients, then see for yourself if he is the right person you should be interviewing. I am sure there is at least a few other attorneys with some semplance of honor, credibility, and truth on that island of yours. Oh wait, why would you want to do that when it is your government that continues to sanction and financially reward its citizens for ILLEGALLY abducting our children.

I think the quote should have been: most abductions use the excuse of spousal violence to validate kidnapping children ilegally to Japan by japanese citizens, then Japan has the unmitigated gall to protect and reward these abductors. Bottom feeders like Ohnuki pray on these women and offer calcualted plans and methods that perpetuate the stereotype of the abused japanese woman. The reality is that these abductors unilaterally decide what, in most cases, is against the best interest of the child. When will Japan join in the real search of human rights and fair treatment? Racism is at the heart of many of these cases and it's being exploited by these lawyers. Japan needs to be judged my the same yardstick as the rest of the world. AND if Japan wants to be a valued international partner it should clean its own house before pointing the finger at non japanese parents. Just because you are japanese and a women does not mean you are always right.

What Ohnuki says is the exact opposite of the real truth. It is the Japanese kidnapper parents, including the mothers, who perpetrate domestic violence and have arrest records with U.S. police, and their repeat acts of domestic violence and psychiatric problems are well-documented in U.S. family courts. It is the Japanese parent who flees to Japan to avoid taking responsibility for his or her violent behavior while in the U.S., while inflicting cruelty, deprivation and lifelong damage on the innocent children they dragged along with them to Japan. If Ohnuki was an attorney in the U.S., he would be challenged intensely for making such outrageous statements. Instead, he is a prime example of how culturally backward Japan remains, despite its status as an advanced technological power.

I wonder if ohnuki has ever even read the Hague Convention, let alone even understand what it is and what it means. The Hague has nothing to do with domestic abuse/violence but only with returning the child to the place habitual residence so THAT country can determine custody of the child. Article 13(b) of the Hague specifically states that the child does not have to be returned if it is ESTABLISHED that “return would expose the child to physical or psychological harm or otherwise place the child in an intolerable situation.” If there is domestic abuse/violence, there’s a good chance that the child could be subject to similar harm and even psychological harm. Certainly, there’s an argument that such an environment may rise up to putting the child in an intolerable situation. Basically, the Hague punches a Mack truck hole to that stupid claim that the Hague is not good for japan because, as ohnuki alleges, it doesn’t address his so called abusive, violent foreign husbands. The Hague specifically permits a child not to be returned under circumstances, such as an abusive/violent environment, so long as - and the key is – it is “ESTABLISHED” that the child would be exposed to such harm, but ohnuki and his immoral clients can't get pass the smell test if they actually had to “establish” real evidence of abuse to prevent the kidnapped child from being return to the habitual home. Further, the japanese government could add conditions to the Hague when they adopt it.

I am curious why ohnuki has never once provided any back up to support his outlandish claims. The article states ohnuki handles about 200 divorces each year between international matches – which I presume means international marriages. Well, out of those about 200, how many involved custody? Also, I recall this ohnuki had recently alleged that 90% (or was it over 90%) of his cases involved domestic violence by the foreign spouse. Again, nothing to back up any of these outrageous claims. He must lawyer just like most of his immoral, lying, cheating clients – just throw everything against the wall because something is bound to stick.

If there really is domestic abuse/violence, then that ohnuki “victim” client should have reported it to the police and talk to prosecutors, protective services, etc. so the abuse can be dealt with in that country. These people cannot be excused to commit the crime of international child abduction in the country of habitual residence and flee to japan. They are subject to that country’s laws as any foreign parent that enters japan would be subject to japanese laws if they were, for example, to try to see their kidnapped children. If they are truly fleeing for their safety, why haven’t these people sought out medical, psychological, protective and police assistance for themselves or the children when they arrived in japan? Rather, the first thing these people do when they arrive is to hire someone like ohnuki and file an action for divorce and custody.

Could it be ... possibly be ... that what they are really interested in is trying to keep child for their own self interest and not that of the child’s best interest ...? Well, guess what? These left behind parents certainly aren’t going to agree to any divorce/custody action. Since japan doesn’t have “no-fault” divorce – meaning there must be fault to be able to get divorced unless the couple mutually agree to end the marriage – the magic thing to do is to allege abuse/violence and anything else you can imagine and bada bing … you get the divorce and the child by the make-believe court.

Is this where your over 90% domestic violence figure comes from ohnuki …?

my wife abducted my child 5 months ago. She told the police she was being abused. It was a load of crap. We had arguments. They were two sided.

My wife is, I am afraid, insane.

I know where they are but I cannot do a damn thing about the situation.

All I can hope for is that she will cool down but the latest news is that she has now alienated half of her own family, the exact people that she went to for support.

She still does not seem to be getting the hint that it is maybe not everyone else who is the problem here.

But maybe it is starting to sink in a little.

The thing about this that I think gets ignored in these discussions is that I would be just as screwed if I were Japanese.

I think maybe the feeling of the authorities in Japanese courts is if we treat our own left behind spouses like shit why should these whiney foreigners expect any better?

I have attended a Japanese hearing before.

One of my Japanese friends got a year and a half prison sentence for having a joint on him. The sentence was stiff because it was his second offense.

The courts here are nuts.

This Ohnuki-san, I know this sounds crazy, but I have a feeling he might be a bit biased in his opinions...

Oh Yeah, I forgot to mention. My wife abandoned my child in a supermarket a week before she abducted him. And even though that is something I can prove happened with documents I have been assured that if I try to fight the case in the courts I will loose.

passingtime. Max sympathies for you in your situation and for your child. For the sake of your child I would consider hiring a private investigator to follow her, record what she does, and build up a file. (Japanese people often use private investigators. Make sure you get a good one, recommended by someone you trust.) Good luck.