Consent - Art. 13(1)(a) | Grave Risk - Art. 13(1)(b)

Return ordered

Father was a US national and mother was a Japanese national ― Parents married in 2014 in Japan ― Their sons were born in 2016 and 2017 in Japan respectively ― The entire family moved to California, the United States in 2018 ― In 2022 mother started to seek divorce but father refused ― Mother took the children to Japan in December 2022 ― Mother declared consensual divorce in February 2023 in Japan following their alleged divorce agreement entered in November 2022 ― Father denied to have signed a divorce form or divorce agreement ― Upon father’s petition, the Osaka Family Court ordered the return of the children to the United States ― Appeal dismissed and return ordered ― Main issue: Consent and Grave Risk.

Issues Relating to Return

Appeal allowed, application dismissed

The parents and the children resided in France ― After the parents’ separation, the father removed two children from France to Japan ― Osaka Family Court ordered the return of the children to France on 11 September 2020, which became final and conclusive on 9 December 2020 ― Divorce decree rendered in France on 23 November 2020 ordered joint custody of the parents and the children to reside with the father in Japan, while only granting visitation right to the mother ― The Osaka Family Court granted the mother’s claim for indirect compulsory execution on 1 February 2021 ― The Osaka High Court reversed the decision and dismissed the mother’s claim to honor the French custody decision on 14 April 2021 ― The Supreme Court upheld the decision on the grounds that the mother’s claim for indirect compulsory execution became unlawful after the children returned to France as a result of compulsory execution by substitute ― Two justices concurred and opined that the lower court decision may conflict with Art. 17 of the 1980 Convention  Main issue: Admissibility of indirect compulsory execution that runs counter to a foreign custody order.

Grave Risk - Art. 13(1)(b)

Appeal dismissed, return ordered

Child (US and Japanese national) born in 2016 in the US ― Father a US national, mother a Japanese national ― Unmarried parents ― The father has been using cannabis and exercised violence against the mother ― Parenting arrangement between the parents based on joint custody and alternate stay of the child every week ― Approved by the US court in October 2018 ― Mother took the child to Japan with the father’s consent for three weeks in December 2018 ― Mother never returned and started to retain the child in Japan early January 2019 ― Father filed petition for the child’s return to the Tokyo Family Court in July 2019 ― The mother attempted suicide ― Return application dismissed ― Appeal allowed and return ordered by the Tokyo High Court in January 2020 ― Main issue: Grave risk for the child to be returned.

Habitual Residence - Art. 3 | Consent - Art. 13(1)(a) | Grave Risk - Art. 13(1)(b)

Appeal dismissed, return ordered

1 child born in 2015 in Japan ― Father and child Brazilian nationals, mother unknown ― Unmarried parents ― Mother and child lived in Japan for one year and moved to Brazil in March 2016 ― Mother removed the child to Japan in November 2018 ― Drinking alcohol, use of drugs and verbal violence of the father ― Father filed a petition for the child’s return to the Tokyo Family Court in October 2018 ― Return ordered ― Appeal dismissed by the Tokyo High Court in March 2019 ― Main issues: habitual residence, consent or acquiescence, and grave risk.

Grave Risk - Art. 13(1)(b) | Objections of the Child to a Return - Art. 13(2)

Return ordered

Return ordered.

Grave Risk - Art. 13(1)(b) | Undertakings

Return refused

Return refused. 

Aims of the Convention - Preamble, Arts 1 and 2 | Removal and Retention - Arts 3 and 12 | Grave Risk - Art. 13(1)(b) | Best Interests of the Child | Procedural Matters

Appeal allowed, return ordered

Habitual Residence - Art. 3

Appeal allowed, return ordered

Appeal allowed, return ordered. 

Removal and Retention - Arts 3 and 12 | Habitual Residence - Art. 3

Application dismissed

Application dismissed. The child’s habitual residence was in the UK and so the retention was not wrongful.

Note that this decision was subsequently overturned on appeal in Re F (A Child) (Habitual Residence) [2025] EWCA Civ 911, INCADAT Case Number: 1619.

Rights of Custody - Art. 3 | Grave Risk - Art. 13(1)(b) | Best Interests of the Child | Procedural Matters | Interpretation of the Convention

Appeal dismissed, return refused