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There are still deep-rooted views that, after all, it is better for children to be taken care of by their mothers. But I don’t think that’s true. I think things will change if there is a growing number of fathers participating in child-rearing on a regular basis.

11 Comments

Mikito Tsurugi, 40, whose 2-year-old daughter wouldn't stop crying on a shinkansen, and who soon found himself being questioned by police as a suspected kidnaper. The train made a prolonged stop at a station, while police officers questioned him and he was cleared only after he showed some ID and called his wife so police could talk to her after they got off the train.

© Asahi Shimbun

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.

11 Comments
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Maybe...she was WORKING, Tom.

Oh maybe she left the child rearing to the father because he was a better parent than she was.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

@Disillusioned, that would be enough to make me leave Japan, too. I raised my daughter, alone, from age 5 to 18, but she saw her mother whenever the two of them wanted to get together. Whenever. But, I suppose that's just a part of my ex-wife and I being open-minded, non-vindictive Canadians.

I hope you find a nice place to live, wherever you're going.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Japan lives in the dark ages when it comes to parenting. Wait until you get divorced from a Japanese wife. Good luck getting any visitation to your kids. I got divorced six years ago and haven't been allowed to see my kids for the last three years. Even the first three years I saw my kids once a month if I was lucky after not seeing them for six months after the divorce. 'She' just cut me off completely and threatened me with a stalking order if I tried to see my kids after going to my daughter's high school to pick her up. There are no laws in Japan in regards to joint custody and/or child support. I was paying child support, but 'she' insisted I give her half of my salary every month. I declined and she cut me off. Just like that! She refused to accept any less. It was all or nothing. I have accepted I will never see my two teenage kids again and am leaving Japan next month. Happy days!

7 ( +7 / -0 )

I was brought up by a single mother, the sole male in our household (even our cat was female). Yet for my twenty-something kids, I'm the one to turn to for advice. A bit of investment results in a great yield.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Maybe...she was WORKING, Tom.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Where was his wife?

-6 ( +1 / -7 )

Totally agree with him and its totally ridiculous that just being a dad with a 2 year old daughter who is crying will get the police called on you.

I say this as a dad with a 2 year old daughter myself! What can one say, 2 year olds cry a lot when they are tired/cranky/don't get exactly what they want exactly when they want it, etc. In no way does that make the parent taking care of them a bad parent.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

But but but this is Japan. Muh culture.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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