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  Bring Abducted Children Home (BAC Home)

UN Human Rights Committee Calls For More Information On Parental Abduction Of Children In Japan

10/15/2022

 
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​SPECIAL REPORT FROM  THE United Nations IN GENEVA By JEFFERY MOREHOUSE

(Geneva) This week I formally briefed the United Nations Human Rights Committee on parental child abduction and loss of access within and to Japan during a private session. ​
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Giving the 23rd and final briefing, I highlighted key points from our multi-national, multi-NGO report, emphasized the emotional and traumatic impact on abducted children and parents, and called on the committee to, "End the ongoing suffering. Hold the Government of Japan accountable."

Many important issues had been presented in earlier years regarding Japan, but our team was successful in making a compelling argument resulting in the committee asking questions of the Japanese Government delegation on day one of the public sessions. From the first round of questions, "the Committee was concerned about reports of parental child abductions in Japan. What measures were in place to respond to these issues?" The delegation from Japan ignored the question causing a committee expert to request an answer on day two.

In claiming they've been deliberating parental authority and visitation since March 2021, Japan's answer was inadequate. They failed to respond to the point from our report and briefing that exposed the July 2022 Ministry of Justice's report by the Family Law Reform Commission included NO countermeasure against Parental Child Abduction.

Their other response was limited to incoming and outgoing Hague Abduction Convention case figures and claiming they offer a list of attorneys, potential legal aid and ADR (Alternative Dispute Resolution, a type of non-binding mediation). Here against they failed to fully respond to the question and scope of the issue that includes a much larger domestic parental child abduction and loss of access crisis than Hague cases alone.
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Seizing additional opportunities throughout my time here I spoke individually with committee chairperson Photini Pazartzis, vice-chairperson Vasilka Sancin, and committee rapporteur Duncan Muhumuza Laki. 

Japan's superficial responses were unsurprising and inadequate. While they continue to attempt to drag it back into the shadows we will continue to bring light to it.

Contributing remotely to this week's efforts were John Gomez of Kizuna Child-Parent Reunion, Rei Ozaki of Grassroots Action for Joint Custody and Shared Parenting in Japan, and Paul Touja of Sauvons Nos Enfants Japon.

Lantos Human Rights Commision Hearing: The Rights of Parents and Children

9/29/2021

 
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(Washington, D.C.) The Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission led by co-chairs Rep. Christopher H. Smith and Rep. James P. McGovern convened for a hearing on “The Rights of Parents and Children: How to Better Implement the Goldman Act on Child Abduction.” 

The Convention on the Rights of the Child recognizes that “the child, for the full and harmonious development of his or her personality, should grow up in a family environment, in an atmosphere of happiness, love and understanding.”  It further provides “that a child shall not be separated from his or her parents against their will.”
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The Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction came about to address those circumstances where a child, in distinction to the afore-mentioned principles contained in the CRC, is separated from one parent via cross-border abduction. 

Between 2008 and 2020, more than 12,350 American children were abducted internationally by a parent, according to the Congressional Research Service.

Congress passed the Sean and David Goldman Child Abduction Prevention and Return Act (P.L. 113-150) in 2014, to better implement the Hague Convention, to provide a means to resolve abduction cases among non-Hague countries, and to hold countries accountable for non-compliance with their obligations.  While the Convention has helped shaped international norms, only 85 nations plus the European Union have ratified it, and some States Parties are not fully compliant.  The Goldman Act provides Congress with data regarding child abductions and authorizes tools for the State Department to use to influence countries to abide by international obligations.

The purpose of this hearing is to assess how well the State Department is implementing the Goldman Act to resolve international parental child abduction cases.  The hearing will include testimony from prominent international family law attorney whose work informed the drafting of the Goldman Act, and left-behind parents who have subsequently dedicated themselves to advocating for the rights of victims of international parental child abduction.

Testifying were:
  • Patricia Apy, International Family Law Attorney, Paras, Apy and Reiss
    Written testimony
  • Jeffery Morehouse, Executive Director, Bring Abducted Children Home
    Written testimony
  • Noelle Hunter, PhD., Founder, iStand Parent Network
    Written testimony
The announcement and hearing video were originally posted on the commission's website.

‘Bring Our Children Home’: US Urged to Use All Legal Powers to Return Abductees

12/12/2018

 
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WASHINGTON—Parents Jeffery Morehouse, Juan Garaicoa, and Michelle Littleton sat before a House Foreign Affairs subcommittee on Dec. 10 to testify about the same terrible fate of their children—international abduction by a spouse.

“While most children were returning to school, my children were boarding a plane and being kidnapped to war-torn Lebanon,” Littleton, a mother of three, said.

“She had kidnapped our son to Japan,” said Morehouse, the founder and executive director of the non-profit Bring Abducted Children Home. “I don’t even know where he is being held.”

“Time is of the essence and now is the time to bring our children home,” pleaded Garaicoa, whose two children remain in Ecuador.

While the countries, children, and spouses are different, they share the same frustration of fighting to be reunited with their children in foreign lands.
Morehouse won custody of his children in U.S. courts—and twice in Japan—but his teenage son, Mochi, who was taken by his wife at age 6, remains in Japan with his mother because there is no enforcement mechanism under Japanese law.
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“In the end, the court refused to reunite Mochi and me,” said Morehouse.”It does not matter how a child ends up with the abductor in Japan, they will not uphold laws and treaties to return children to their rightful home.”

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Parents call on Congress to pressure foreign nations to return their children

12/10/2018

 
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Jeffery Morehouse dropped his 6-year-old son off with his mother for a weeklong visit in 2010 — and she managed to abscond with him to Japan.

On Monday, Mr. Morehouse, executive director of Bring Abducted Children Home, called on Congress to step up American efforts to bring his son and other children back from overseas, saying the government’s actions are inconsistent and insufficient.
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“President Trump ran on putting America first,” Mr. Morehouse said in his testimony to the House Foreign Affairs subcommittee on global human rights. “Well, America first means putting American children first and bringing them home.”

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Jeffery Morehouse Testifies to Congress 'Japan's Systemic Failure to Return Kidnapped Children'

12/10/2018

 
"Prime Minister Abe for the past two years has spread it all over the press how President Trump and the U.S. are going to help Japan resolve the 1977-1983 kidnappings of 17 of their citizens in to North Korea. I feel for those parents. I understand their pain. It is my pain. It is our pain. We should help with that. It's the right thing to do.
 
President Trump ran on putting America first. Well, America first means putting American children first and bringing them home. Prime Minister Abe, what about returning the 400+ American children kidnapped to Japan since 1994? What about returning Mochi?

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Rep. Smith calls for Trump administration crackdown on international parental child abduction

12/10/2018

 
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WASHINGTON – House Foreign Affairs subcommittee Chairman Chris Smith called on the Trump administration to take concerted action to stop international parental child abduction.

“The Trump administration can and must use current law, especially the tools embedded in the Goldman Act, to more aggressively bring American children home to their families,” Smith (R-N.J.) said at a hearing on Monday that featured testimony from parents whose children were abducted abroad.
Smith said “child abduction is child abuse.”

Smith said more than 450 American children are abducted each year. He said 11,000 children were abducted internationally between 2008 and 2017.

Panelists relayed their experiences to the committee and implored action.
“The last time I saw my son was on Father’s Day of 2010,” said Jeffery Morehouse, executive director of Bring Abducted Children Home.

That day, Morehouse said, he dropped off his then-6-year-old-son, Mochi Atomu Imoto Morehouse, with his ex-wife for a week-long visit. Three weeks later, Morehouse said, the police informed him that his wife and son had been reported missing.
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“I knew immediately what happened,” Morehouse recalled. “She succeeded in what she had threatened to do. She kidnapped our son to Japan.”

Morehouse said he pursued the matter in Japanese courts and won.

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U.N. Told Parental Child Abductions Serious Human Rights Violation In Japan

6/28/2018

 
PictureShunichi Fujiki speaking at the UN Human Rights Council



Addressing at the United Nations Human Rights Council this week Mr. Shunichi Fujiki of the International Career Support Association declared, "Parental child abductions are becoming a serious human rights violation in Japan."

"The abducted child is at the mercy of the abducting parent. The child can no longer go home and [is] forced to sever their relationship with the abandoned parent."

Children have the right to be loved by both parents. He continues, "In Japan many children are deprived of the basic rights because of the current system and crooked lawyers."

JEFFERY MOREHOUSE Addresses The Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe

10/27/2017

 
On October 27, 2017 Bring Abducted Children Home Executive Director Jeffery Morehouse briefs The Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, also known as the Helsinki Commission on the crime of international parental child abduction.

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REP. Jeff Clawson Declares, "We could solve kidnapped children tomorrow."

11/19/2015

 
Rep. Jeff Clawson at a Congressional hearing on International Parental Child Abduction declares, "We could solve kidnapped children tomorrow. One executive order. Give our kids back or you don't get to sell your cars over here. Give our kids back or you don't get to sell your software over here."

CAPT. Paul Toland, USN, Co-founder and National Director for Bring Abducted Children Home testifies, "punitive measures up to and including sanctions may soon be the only viable option that will bring about the change necessary within Japan to comply with the Hague Convention and the Goldman Act." 
Video except from the hearing of Rep. Jeff Clawson.
Video except from the hearing of CAPT. Paul Toland's testimony.
The full Congressional transcript is available here.

Randy Collins Testifies To Congress

7/16/2015

 
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On July 16, 2015 Bring Abducted Children Home Managing Director Randy Collins testified to Congress on his case and the ongoing kidnapping crisis with Japan. "Quite frankly, State’s actions, or this case inaction, speak so loudly we can’t hear what they’re saying. I’d like this committee to insist that OCI and the State Department be far more transparent with Congress and with victimized parents. We deserve answers. Simply telling this committee that they are raising our cases means nothing. What are they saying? Who are they saying it to? What are the answers they are receiving? Are they demanding the return of our children or simply begging? Do they drop the issue just because Japan tells them it’s too difficult to return our kidnapped children? We have suffered years of secrecy from State regarding our abducted children. It’s the perfect definition of insanity, doing the same things over and over again but expecting a different result. The results haven’t changed in my seven years.  We are still no closer to seeing our children today than we were before Japan joined The Hague Abduction Convention," said Collins whose son, Keisuke Collins, was kidnapped by his ex-wife to Japan in June 2008.


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Japan named as top three worst offender

7/16/2015

 
Ambassador Susan Jacobs, Special Advisor to the Secretary for Children's Issues testifies that Brazil, India and Japan are the worst offenders of International Parental Child Abduction.

Christopher Savoie TESTIFIES TO CONGRESS

6/11/2015

 
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On June 11, 2015 attorney and Bring Abducted Children Home co-founder, Christopher Savoie, testified to Congress on his case and the ongoing kidnapping crisis with Japan. "The elephant in the room is the inherent conflict of interest problem for the State Department in these abduction cases. Their primary mandate, as they see it, is to maintain good relations with strategic allies such as Japan. And this is in direct conflict with the interests of our children and the children of Japan, whose advocacy would require that the State Department to publicly shame and reprimand Japan for its complicity in these kidnappings and for its truly barbaric sole parental rights regime. A regime that violates some of the most basic human rights of parents and children alike."


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Jeffery Morehouse Testifies To Congress

3/26/2015

 
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On March 25, 2015 Bring Abducted Children Home Executive Director Jeffery Morehouse testified to Congress on his case and the ongoing kidnapping crisis with Japan. “Now is the time for Japan to demonstrate they are serious about changing course on the ongoing crisis of International Parental Child Abduction,” said Morehouse whose son was kidnapped to Japan his ex-wife in June 2010. “I am hear to ask Congress to tell the Prime Minister it is not acceptable to continue to hold my son, “Mochi” Atomu Imoto Morehouse or any of the 400 U.S. children kidnapped to Japan.“


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"Japan has been breathtakingly unresponsive" on ABductions

2/25/2015

 
Rep. Christopher Smith (NJ-4) to Secretary of State John Kerry, "Japan has been breathtakingly unresponsive especially to abductions that occurred prior to ratification of the Hague (Abduction) Convention."

California Senate Bill 1206 – Assembly Testimony

6/26/2012

 
Parent of Internationally Kidnapped Child, Randy Collins testifies before the California State Assembly Judiciary Committee for Senate Bill 1206. The bill is also known as Keisuke’s Law named after Mr. Collins’ son Keisuke Collins abducted to Japan in June 2008 by Reiko Nakata Greenberg Collins.

CA Senate Bill 1206 Testimony- Jeffery Morehouse

5/17/2012

 
Jeffery Morehouse testifies before the California State Senate Judiciary Committee for Senate Bill 1206 (Child Abduction Prevention). His son “Mochi” Atomu Imoto Morehouse was kidnapped to Japan by Michiyo Imoto Morehouse in violation of multiple laws and court orders in June 2010. The Government of Japan continues to refuse to provide the location of his son.

California Senate Bill 1206 Testimony

4/24/2012

 
Parents of Internationally Kidnapped Children, Randy Collins and Jeffery Morehouse, testify before the California State Senate Judiciary Committee for Senate Bill 1206. The bill is also known as Keisuke’s Law named after Mr. Collins’ son Keisuke Collins abducted to Japan in June 2008 by Reiko Nakata Greenberg Collins.

Testimony At The Tom Lantos Hearing on International Child Abduction

12/2/2009

 
CDR Paul Toland Congressional testimony before the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission of the US House of Representatives, December 2, 2009.

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