President Obama addresses Japan Child Abduction with Prime Minister Noda

[pptoland]

Yesterday was an historic day.  The Japan Child Abduction issue has reached the highest levels of our Government.  At their bilateral summit yesteday in New York, President Obama DID address the Japan Child Abduction issue, to include both the Hague Convention and resolution of existing cases, with Prime Minister Noda. 

This link is Assistant Secretary Campbell's statement about this topic given immediately after the summit  Sept. 28. 2011 • U.S. Dept. of State Briefing on U.S. Child Abductions to Japan   

The exact statement is here:  AS Campbell: "The President also very strongly affirmed the Japanese decision to enter into The Hague Convention - askedthat this - on Child Abduction - asked that these steps be taken clearly and that the necessary implementing legislation would be addressed. He also indicated that while that was an important milestone for Japan, that - he also asked the Japanese prime minister and the government to focus on the preexisting cases, the cases that have come before. The prime minister
indicated that very clearly, he knew about the number of cases. He mentioned 123. He said that he would take special care to focus on these particular issues as we - as Japan also works to implement the joining of The Hague Convention, which the United States appreciates greatly."

Many thanks to Congressman Chris Smith for sending a letter to the President in advance of his summit asking him to address the issue. 

Paul Toland

[SageDad]

I don't know of any other time a US president has publicly acknowledged addressing international child abduction with any country.

It is a very impressive, and surprising, achievement.  So much effort is put into sweeping this issue under the rug by our "child advocate" diplomats at State who don't want "child custody" issues interfering with what they see as "real" issues, I would not have expected such a high level acknowledgement of the problem.

The only thing that comes close to it, that I can think of, was Meredith Vieira of Dateline asking Obama about the Goldman case, which is rather different than speaking to the issue in general (something Dateline never did, preferring to let viewers think that Sean's abduction was a rare occurrence rather than something that happens every day.)

[lttlmtn]

I don't know of any other time a US president has publicly acknowledged addressing international child abduction with any country.

It is a very impressive, and surprising, achievement.  So much effort is put into sweeping this issue under the rug by our "child advocate" diplomats at State who don't want "child custody" issues interfering with what they see as "real" issues, I would not have expected such a high level acknowledgement of the problem.

The only thing that comes close to it, that I can think of, was Meredith Vieira of Dateline asking Obama about the Goldman case, which is rather different than speaking to the issue in general (something Dateline never did, preferring to let viewers think that Sean's abduction was a rare occurrence rather than something that happens every day.)

I am amazed as well... now time to piggy back on it! I have the perfect reason for them to kick Costa Rica in the butt as too!!!

[pptoland]

I don't know of any other time a US president has publicly acknowledged addressing international child abduction with any country.

President Clinton did address parental child abduction in Germany in 2000, but in an even more forceful and public manner.  Here's an article from that timeframe with the headline titled "Clinton to tackle Berlin over the 'stolen children'"  http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/clinton-to-tackle-berlin-over-the-stolen-children-716067.html  There were similar articles throughout the US at that time about this, including the Washington Post. 

We patterened our approach based on this.  At our meetings with Assistant Secretary Campbell, we presented him with this article and told him that we demanded equal treatment to how President Clinton treated the US Children stolen to Germany 10 years earlier.  We told him our children were no less important.  We pushed and pushed, and did not relent.  As Bernard Aronson, former Assistant Secretary of State, told me..."don't ever let the State Department feel as if they are doing you a favor.  Hold them accountable to do their job!  Their job is to return your children, so don't let up until they have completed their job." 

Our next step in emulating the Germany situation from 10 years ago is to continue to push until we see a headline in the Washington Post that reads "Obama to tackle Tokyo over the 'stolen children" and even then we won't let up until we are actually reunited with our children.   

[Diane]

This is wonderful news and I am thrilled for the children and parents of Japan.  Just can't help being frustrated that they address this issue on an individual country or child basis.  I know that having Japan sign on to the Hague is a priority but it seems rather futile if it is only sporadically  and rarely enforced in countries which have already signed on many years ago.

[Nicole's Dad]

It's campaign and election time. He needs every vote he can get.

[patrickm]

This is wonderful news and I am thrilled for the children and parents of Japan.  Just can't help being frustrated that they address this issue on an individual country or child basis.  I know that having Japan sign on to the Hague is a priority but it seems rather futile if it is only sporadically  and rarely enforced in countries which have already signed on many years ago.

Hi Diane,

Think of this way... it we manage to crack open the situation with Japan, then we will send a message to all the other countries.  Also, the other countries will likely start to fall like dominos.

Keep the faith and lets keep united.  I, for one, am not going to stop fighting until *ALL* of our children are home - from whatever country has had the audacity to keep them from loving family!

Thanks,

Patrick