Divorced couples in Japan will be able to negotiate joint custody of their children from Wednesday, in the first major change to the country’s laws governing child-rearing in more than a century. Previously, Japan’s Civil Code required couples to decide which parent would take custody of their children when they divorce. Under the amendment, parents will be able to decide whether to arrange for joint or sole custody of their children. The sole custody system has drawn criticism from divorced parents, including foreign nationals who struggle to maintain relationships with their children if their former partner takes them back to Japan. A 2021 government survey found that one in three children with divorced parents said they eventually lost contact with the non-custodial parent.

Source: The Guardian April 01, 2026 18:25 UTC