In May, we wrote that Japan finally appears ready to sign the 1980 Hague Pact, which is an agreement between countries to cooperate in cases of international child abduction. Because Japan had not previously signed the agreement, it has since become a safe haven for parents who flee the United States with their children in violation of a child custody order.

This is especially true for Japanese women. In modern Japanese culture, tradition still dictates that women are granted sole custody in nearly all cases. Courts almost never grant custody to foreigners, especially if they are men.

Therefore, if women can successfully flee the United States with their children, they have a very good chance of finding asylum in Japan. The U.S. State Department says that there are currently 173 children of American-Japanese parentage who have been abducted by a parent and now live in Japan.

The good news is that Japanese officials have stayed publicly committed to signing the treaty. However, the bad news is that it probably won't happen anytime soon. Some Japanese lawmakers estimate that it could take years for the treaty to be signed due to necessary changes in Japan's current domestic laws.

However, some Western officials see this as a stalling tactic. For example, Japanese lawmakers would like to include exemptions to the treaty in cases of domestic abuse. But these provisions already exist within the Hague as it is currently written.

There are other problems as well, including the fact that the signing of the treaty would not apply retroactively to children who have already been abducted. Check back later this week as we continue our discussion.

Source: Stars and Stripes, "Left-behind fathers urge U.S. to push Japan to sign Hague treaty," Charlie Reed, Aug. 23, 2011