[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 66 (Wednesday, May 5, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E751]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


  ON THE INTRODUCTION OF THE RESOLUTION CALLING ON THE GOVERNMENT OF 
 JAPAN TO IMMEDIATELY ADDRESS THE GROWING PROBLEM OF ABDUCTION TO AND 
  RETENTION OF UNITED STATES CITIZEN MINOR CHILDREN IN JAPAN, TO WORK 
   CLOSELY WITH THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES TO RETURN THESE 
CHILDREN TO THEIR CUSTODIAL PARENT OR TO THE ORIGINAL JURISDICTION FOR 
 A CUSTODY DETERMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES, TO PROVIDE LEFT-BEHIND 
PARENTS IMMEDIATE ACCESS TO THEIR CHILDREN, AND TO ADOPT WITHOUT DELAY 
 THE 1980 HAGUE CONVENTION ON THE CIVIL ASPECTS OF INTERNATIONAL CHILD 
                               ABDUCTION

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JAMES P. MORAN

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                         Wednesday, May 5, 2010

  Mr. MORAN of Virginia. Madam Speaker, the United States and Japan 
have a strong and critical alliance that is vitally important to both 
of our countries, to the Asia-Pacific region, and to the world. It is 
based on shared interests and values and our common support for 
political and economic freedoms, human rights, and international law. 
Japan now participates in our Pacific Partnership Initiative bringing 
humanitarian civic assistance to countries in Southeast Asia. Japan is 
second to none in supporting President Barack Obama's vision of a 
``world without nuclear weapons'' and advocating for nuclear 
disarmament and non-proliferation. Japan also supports our mission in 
Afghanistan and has recently doubled its civilian aid to the country 
providing much needed funds for job training, agriculture support, 
infrastructure and security training.
  But as a friend of Japan and the Japanese people, I am compelled to 
bring to their attention by resolution a concern involving 269 American 
children who have been abducted to and/or wrongfully retained in Japan 
since 1994. These American children are in Japan as a result of 
kidnapping by a parent with Japanese citizenship following the 
dissolution of their relationship to the American citizen parent. 
Research shows that abducted children are at risk of serious emotional 
and psychological problems and have been found to experience anxiety, 
eating problems, nightmares, mood swings, sleep disturbances, 
aggressive behavior, resentment, guilt and fearfulness, and as adults 
may struggle with identity issues, their own personal relationships and 
parenting.
  Despite a shared concern within the international community, the 
Japanese government has yet to accede to the 1980 Hague Convention on 
the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction or create any other 
mechanism to resolve international child abductions. Japan's existing 
family law system neither recognizes joint custody nor actively 
enforces parental access agreements for either its own citizens or 
foreigners. Most troubling, the existing legal system relies 
exclusively on the voluntary cooperation of the parent or guardian who 
has abducted the child. American parents must beg to see their abducted 
children and have no legal recourse if the taking parent denies them 
access.
  Consequently, American parents are calling on the U.S. Government to 
urgently intervene and quickly find a diplomatic solution.
  I ask for my colleague's support on a bipartisan resolution supported 
by Rep. Christopher Smith, Rep. Maurice Hinchey, Rep. Gary Miller, and 
Rep. Marsha Blackburn, calling on the Japanese government to address 
the growing problem of abduction and retention of American children in 
Japan. The resolution calls for Japanese officials to work closely with 
the United States to return these children to their custodial parent or 
to the original jurisdiction for a custody determination in the United 
States, and to provide left-behind parents immediate access to their 
children. Finally, the resolution calls for Japan to adopt without 
delay the 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International 
Child Abduction. The well-being of these children should be an issue 
where agreement can be reached and distraught parents are reunited with 
their children. I call on the Government of Japan to work closely with 
the U.S. Government to resolve current cases and establish an efficient 
mechanism to resolve future potential cases of abduction.
  Cosponsors of this legislation introduced by the Rep. James P. Moran:
  The Honorable Christopher H. Smith.
  The Honorable Maurice D. Hinchey.
  The Honorable Gary G. Miller.
  The Honorable Marsha Blackburn.

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