Le 20 juillet dernier, Monsieur Yukio Hatoyama, président du Parti Démocrate Japonais (DPJ), et favori au poste de Premier ministre du Japon en cas de victoire de son parti aux élections de dimanche prochain (le 30 août), a accordé le 20 juillet dernier une interview publiée dans le Japan Time Herald. Il y affirme son soutien à la signature et à l’application de la Convention de la Haye (sur les Aspects Civils de l’Enlèvement International d’Enfants, 1980) et à la création d’un droit de visite dans la loi japonaise : « We support ratifying and enforcing the Hague Convention, and involved in this is a sweeping change to allow divorced fathers visitation of their children. »

Monsieur Hatoyama prend aussi acte des pressions effectuées sur le Japon par la France, les USA, le Royaume-Uni et le Canada dans ce domaine, et appelle à un changement qui ferait « entrer le  Japon dans le 21 siècle »:  « We have been condemned by the USA, Canada, the UK, and France over this and I firmly believe we need to change things as I mentioned. The effect will be Japan coming into this century. »

Nous vous laissons découvrir la partie de l’interview consacrée à ce problème. Vous pourrez la trouver dans son intégralité sous ce lien :

http://japantherald.blogspot.com/2009/07/yukio-hatoyama-interview.html

Japan Times Herald, Monday, July 20, 2009

Yukio Hatoyama – The Interview

(…)
JTH: On this topic, as you know Japan is the only G8 nation not to ratify the Hague Convention. There has been talk of doing so in 2010. Will the DPJ do so?
YH: Yes we will and we have pushed for this but have been fought back by the LDP continually on this topic. I understand the issue and we have been briefed on the many cases involving Japanese spouses violating other nation’s court orders and brining the child to Japan. So, yes we support this effort to ratify the Hague convention.
Daniel: I have some questions from the fathers affected, and photos of their children. Would you please look at them?
(Mr. Hatoyama reads the questions and looks at the photos)
YH: May I keep these?
Daniel: Please do.
YH: My heart goes out to the fathers, and mothers. There are cases of mothers as well. We support ratifying and enforcing the Hague Convention, and involved in this is a sweeping change to allow divorced fathers visitation of their children. That issue affects not just foreign national fathers, but Japanese fathers as well. I believe in this change.
We have been condemned by the USA, Canada, the UK, and France over this and I firmly believe we need to change things as I mentioned. The effect will be Japan coming into this century. We need to be clear though, these changes will take time. A very strong cultural change shifting from maternal primacy over the children is needed as well. I think we have already seen the beginning of this, but a change in laws is not the sole solution.
JTH: Does this include abiding by the court orders of other nations?
YH: It does, as long there is reciprocal agreement to recognize Japanese court orders.
JTH: As you know no child has been returned to a foreign parent even with a foreign jurisdiction awarding custody before the abduction, do you support efforts to change this?
YH: Again, as long as Japanese courts are reciprocated then yes. Again, I need to be clear that changes of this nature will take time. Do I support it? Yes, but the changes to the legal and cultural structures will take time. Will there be opposition? I am sure, but things need to change not just to improve Japan’s image, but for the sake of justice. That really is all I can say.

(…)