International Family Lawyer Tokyo Japan
Masayuki Honda

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March 27th, 2025

We obtained a decision not to indict foreigner suspect in relation to violation of Narcotics and Psychotropics Control Act (drug import case).

Our firm served as the defense counsel for the foreign tourist accused of violation of Narcotics and Psychotropics Control Act (drug import case). We claimed that the suspect should not be indicted because there wasn’t any intention of importing drug, and as a result we obtained the decision not to indict.

Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act states that any alien who has been convicted for violation of a provision of the Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances Control Actis subject to deportation and denied entry to Japan. Therefore, it is important for the foreginers to obtain a decision to not to indict as much as possible.

September 3rd, 2024

The Tokyo High Court has made a decision in the case of the designation of a custodian parent, which we introduced in the News & Topics of July 14, 2023. Tokyo High Court upheld the Tokyo Family Court’s decision which was a judgment in favor of our client.

On September 3, 2024, the Tokyo High Court made a decision on the appellate stage in the designation of a child custodian parent case, which we introduced in the News & Topics of July 14, 2023. The Tokyo High Court upheld and confirmed the Family Court's decision, which made a new ruling on the principle of continuity and the friendly parent rule. This case, together with the case of claim for damages, which we introduced in the News & Topics of July 11, 2024, is significant that it suggests the possibility that even while a couple is still living together, actions against the best interests of the child will not be allowed and that the couple may be able to discuss about a rule and parenting plan for the separation even while living together. 

July 24th, 2024

We participated online in a deposition proceeding in Illinois, USA, regarding the international child custody case and obtained a consent order for the parenting time on the summer break in the Illinois court.

 In connection with the international child custody case that our firm has been handling, as described in the April 1, 2024 News, in which one parent has been out of contact with the child for about a year, Masayuki Honda, attorney-at-law and Nagiumi Washio, attorney-at-law participated online in a deposition proceeding presided over by an attorney in Illinois, USA. Subsequently, Mr. Honda and Mr. Washio traveled to the USA and, after meeting with local counsel, in Illinois, obtained a court consent order through the local counsel granting parenting time in Japan during the summer vacation. We also prepared a mirror order in the Tokyo Family Court for the said Consent Order.

July 11th, 2024

In a lawsuit for compensation for damages based on obstruction of the exercise of parental rights and violation of a marital cooperation and mutual assistance mediation agreement governed by Japanese law, both the district court and the high court have made a judgment in favor of our client, and the judgment has become final.

In a case where one parent had been obstructing the other parent's exercise of parental rights during the marriage and cohabitation, we represented the mother who was being obstructed in exercising her parental rights and filed a petition for marital cooperation and mutual assistance mediation, and the mediation agreement was reached in the court. However, the same conduct continued after the mediation agreement was reached, therefore we filed a lawsuit in the Tokyo District Court to seek damages under Japanese law with respect to the conduct before and after the mediation agreement was reached. Both the Tokyo district court and the Tokyo high court ruled in favor of the plaintiff and found that there was obstruction to the exercise of parental rights and violation of the mediation agreement. The court ordered the defendant to pay compensation for the defendant’s action before and after the mediation agreement. This judgment ordering the defendant to pay the compensation has become final.

This decision is significant because, in addition to finding a violation of the marital cooperation and mutual assistance mediation agreement for a spouse living together during their marriage, the court also awarded damages for obstruction of parental rights prior to reaching the agreement, on the grounds that such interference was outside of the socially acceptable range.

June 7th, 2024

In the Japanese family law case, we registered a mediation agreement concluded in the Japanese Family Court, to the court in California, USA.

We represented the custodian parent in allowing the non custodian parent and the child to travel to California, USA. We concluded a mediation agreement regarding the travel to California, in the Japanese family court. We then selected the attorney in California, and registered the travel agreement to the California court through that attorney, to make the mediation agreement concluded in the Japanese court effective in the state of California as well.

April 1st, 2024

We had a meeting in Illinois, USA, with local attorneys regarding an international child custody case and made a courtesy visit to the local court.

Nagiumi Washio, attorney-at-law of our firm, traveled to Illinois, USA to hold a meeting with the local attorneys regarding an international child custody case, followed by a courtesy visit to the local court.

October 31st, 2023

We reached an agreement in the Hague Convention Mediation in Hong Kong, and the child was returned to Japan.

We represented the LBP (Left Behind Parent) in the case, where we selected Hong Kong lawyer and with corporation of the Hong Kong Lawyer, we filed for the Hague Convention to the Family Court of Hong Kong, and participated in the mediation process through video call. In that process, the agreement was reached to return the child to Japan, and the child was returned to Japan on October 31, 2023.

August 25th, 2023

We reached an agreement in the Hague Convention Mediation, and the child was returned to Canada.

We represented the LBP (Left Behind Parent) in the case, and on August 25, 2023, the agreement was reached to return the child to Canada during the mediation at the Tokyo Family Court on July 28, 2023. The child was returned to Canada on August 25, 2023.

July 14th, 2023

In a case involving the designation of a child custodian parent, governed by Japanese law, a new ruling was made regarding the principle of continuity and the friendly parent rule, and a judgment in favor of our client was issued.

The Tokyo Family Court adopted our argument that the principle of continuity in determining the custodian parent should not be focused on the current custody situation, which had changed due to the child's enclosure by the other parent, etc., should not be considered important. that the friendly parent rule should be applied to the child's custody rights of the other parent and to visitation, etc. In addition, the court considered factors similar to the friendly parent rule, such as consideration of the other parent's custody rights and visitation, and issued a favorable decision to our client.

June 2nd, 2023

We reached a Mirror Order-like Mediation Agreement in International Domestic Relations Case.

 We represented a client who wished to make a part of the custody agreement in Canada into a mediation agreement in Japan, and the mediation was reached in the Tokyo Family Court on June 2, 2023.

February 17th, 2023

We submitted a Public Comment , urging the implementation of the joint custody, "Interim Draft on the Review of
the Family Law System ” on the Family Law Subcommittee of the Legislative Council of the Ministry of
Justice . 

We submitted a public comment, stating that the introduction of a joint custody system is essential from the
perspective of the best interests of the child and that a joint custody system is practicable in Japan, to the Family
Law Subcommittee of the Legislative Council of the Ministry of Justice, which is discussing the introduction of
a joint custody system after divorce. For the abstract of it, please see the link.

December 16th, 2022
The relocation order was approved by the Tokyo Family Court and was upheld by the Tokyo High Court.

We represented a petitioner who wanted to relocate abroad with the child, and a relocation order was issued by the Tokyo Family Court on February 28th, 2022. On December 16th, 2022, the appeal from the other party was dismissed by the Tokyo High Court, and the judgment of the Tokyo Family Court was upheld.
 

December 13th, 2022
We reached an agreement in the Hague Convention Mediation, to the effect that the children will be returned to the United States.

We represented the Left Behind Parent (LBP) in the case, and on December 13th, 2022, an agreement was reached to return the children to the United States during the mediation at the Tokyo Family Court.
 

December 8th, 2022
Mr. Yura Ichikawa, attorney at law joined our firm.

For his profile, please see the link.

June 15th, 2022

We obtained a judgment from Tokyo Family Court which allowed a divorce and a sole custody of the plaintiff under the Czech Law. The judgment was published in “Family Court Journal” No.38.

We represented the plaintiff in a foreign divorce case, and the Tokyo Family Court granted a divorce and a sole custody for the plaintiff under Czech law on March 29th, 2021 (published in “Family Court Journal” No.38).

June 3rd, 2022
Mr. Nagiumi Washio, attorney at law joined our firm.
For his profile, please see the link.

June, 2022
In a Hague Convention Case, the order for the return of the child was upheld, and the child was returned to the United States.

We represented the LBP (Left Behind Parent) in the appeal trial in the Hague Convention case and the appeal from the TP was dismissed by the Osaka High Court on November 29th, 2021. The child was returned to the United States on June 2022.

April 30th, 2022
We recovered the full amount of the damage caused by a large-scale investment damage incident that crossed the border between the Philippines and Japan.

We formed a defense team, seized the bank of the perpetrator, and recovered the full amount of the damage regarding a large-scale investment damage case that crossed the border between the Philippines and Japan.

February 15th, 2022
The Hague Convention case, which we announced on January 20th, 2021, was published in "Family Law and Judgment" No. 36.

November 26th, 2021
We obtained a judgment from the Tokyo Family Court allowing joint custody in an international divorce case and the judgment became final.

On June 1st, 2020, the Tokyo Family Court made a ruling that fully acknowledged our claim for shared physical custody based on a foreign law in the divorce case related to the case we announced on May 19th, 2017 (published in “Family Law and Judgment” No.12). This judgment was upheld by the Tokyo High Court and the Supreme Court, and became final on November 26th, 2021.

September 29th, 2021
In a Hague Convention case, a habeas corpus claim was approved and the child was returned to the United States.

We represented the Left Behind Parent (LBP) in the case, and after the Hague Convention decision on the return of the child, we carried out execution by substitute and then filed a habeas corpus claim with the Okinawa Branch of the Naha District Court, and after the decision on the extradition of the child, the LBP and the child returned to the United States.

July 21st, 2021
Our office has been added to the list of legal consultation for the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) and the Canadian Paralympic Committee (CPC).

Our office has been registered in charge of legal consultation for COC and CPC officials in Japan during the Olympic Games.

March 29th, 2021
We are pleased to announce that we will be relocating our office to the following address on April 3rd, 2021 and start our business in the new office on April 5th, 2021.

We will continue to provide high-quality legal service to clients from this new location.

Please kindly note that our telephone number as well as fax number will stay the same.

Address:
Ebisu Plax Bldg. 6F
1-25-1 Ebisu-Minami, Shibuya-ku TOKYO JAPAN 150-0022

Access:
JR Ebisu Station (East exit)

Tokyo Metro Hibiy Line Ebisu Station

February 1st, 2021
We are pleased to inform that our clients who were former Japanese losing their Japanese nationality due to acquirement of foreign nationality obtain 5-year “Spouse or Child of Japanese National” VISA with Special Permission for Residence.

Former Japanese nationals who lost their Japanese nationality under Article 11, Paragraph 1 of the Nationality Act was subject to deportation proceedings, and we represented them and they finally obtained 5-year "Spouse or Child of Japanese National" VISA with Special Permission for Residence.

January 20th, 2021
 We are pleased to announce that we have won the Hague Convention case in which the determination of the country of habitual residence was an issue.

We represented TP (Taking Parent) side in a Hague Convention case in which the determination of the country of habitual residence (U.S.A. or Japan) was an issue, and won a judgment at the Tokyo Family Court and the Tokyo High Court. The Supreme Court upheld this judgment.

December 23rd, 2020
We achieved a settlement in the Hague Convention case to the effect that the child will be returned to Hungary.

On 22nd of December, 2020, as to the Hague Convention case where we represented LBP (Left Behind Parent), we reached a judicial settlement to the effect which the child will be returned to Hungary.

June 2nd, 2020
We obtained a judgment from Tokyo High Court which overturned the lower court’s ruling with a prison sentence  and ordered a suspended sentence to the foreign defendant for the import of narcotics case.

 Our representative attorney Honda (Chief) and attorney Sato served as the defense counsels in the appeal trial for the foreign defendant accused of the violation of Narcotics and Psychotropics Control Act as well as Customs Act, and obtained the judgment which overturned the lower court’s ruling with the prison sentence and ordered the suspended sentence. 

December 9th, 2019
Attorney Honda gave a lecture to Japanese Society of Travel Medicine.

On December 7th, Attorney Honda gave a lecture on the title of ‘ Cross-border Legal Issues related to Medical Treatment’ to the expert community of nursing of Japanese Society of Travel Medicine.

December 4th, 2019
According to the order for the return of child which became final and binding on September 5th, 2018 (please see below News dated on September 5th, 2018), the child was returned to the country in Eastern Europe. (At the request of the client, the name of the country is withheld.)

After the order for the return of child based on Hague Convention became final and binding on September 5th, 2018, the whereabouts of TP and the child was unknown even after the search conducted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. While trying to identify the whereabouts of TP an the child, by obtaining the order for the handover of the child and the order for Indirect Compulsory Execution (300,000 JPY per day) against their relative who helped TP hide the child, and filing the petitions for Compulsory Auction on the Real Estate and Habeas Corpus against aforementioned relative, the agreement to return the child was made inside the Habeas Corpus procedure. After 15 months since the order for the return of child became final and binding, the child was finally returned to the habitual residence on December 1st, 2019.

July 31st, 2019
Attorney Honda appeared on NHK morning news, Good Morning Japan.

Attorney Masayuki Honda was interviewed by NHK in relation to a legal interpreter, and his comment on mistranslation issue was broadcasted by NHK morning news called 'Good Morning, Japan (Ohayo Nippon)' on July 30th, 2019.

July 5th, 2019
We obtained a decision of not to indict foreign suspect in relation to violation of Stimulants Control Act (stimulants import for commercial purpose) which is subject to a lay judge trial.

Attorney Honda (Chief) and attorney Sato served as the defense counsels for the foreign suspect accused of violation of Stimulants Control Act (stimulants import for commercial purpose) and obtained the decision of not to indict due to lack of enough evidences to find guilty.

Stimulants import for commercial purpose is considered as a serious crime therefore is subject to the lay judge trial.

June 10th, 2019
Attorney Honda was interviewed by Kyodo News.

Attorney Masayuki Honda was interviewed by Kyodo News regarding a reform bill on Civil Execution Act. His comment was published in Kyoto Shimbun on May 11th, 2019 as well as Kahoku Shimbun on May 11th, 2019.

Attorney Honda was interviewd by the media (Nihon Keizai Shimbun).
Attorney Honda was interviewed by Nihon Keizai Shimbun regarding a reform bill on Act for Implementation of the Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction. Attorney Honda’s comment on locating a child was published in Nihon Keizai Shimbun online edition on April 16th, 2019 as well as Nihon Keizai Shimbun morning edition on April 17th, 2019.

September 5th, 2018
According to Act for Implementation of the Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction, the order for the return of child to a country in Eastern Europe made by Tokyo Family Court became final and binding.

As to the Hague Convention case where we represented LBP (Left Behind Parent),the order for the return of child was rendered by Tokyo Family Court on July 20th, 2018 and upon dismissal of the appeal by TP (Taking Parent) to Tokyo High Court, the order became final and binding (At the request of the client, the name of the country is withheld.)

May 19, 2017　
Tokyo Family Court and Tokyo High Court awarded shared physical custody.

Tokyo Family Court and Tokyo High Court fully accepted our claims and awarded shared physical custody（this allows the children to live roughly equal amounts of time with both parents）based on a foreign state law.

We obtained the judgment which found the foreign defendant not intentious of possessing Narcotics in the criminal case.  
Our attorney Honda (Chief) and attorney Sato served as the defense counsels for the foreign defendant accused of the possession of Narcotics. The judgment found that the defendant did not have an intention to possess Narcotics based on our claim that the defendant only had an intention to possess Designated drugs (Tokyo District Court). Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act states that any alien who has been convicted for violation of a provision of the Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances Control Act may be deported from Japan.

March 25, 2015
Mr. Honda was interviewed by media about the Child’s Return to Foreign State by the Hague Convention. 

Attorney Masayuki Honda represents a Turkish father, the left behind parent, and filed a petition of the Child’s Return to Foreign State to the Tokyo Family Court.

The court gave decision on 20March and returning of the child was ordered. Attorney Honda was interviewed by Mainichi newspaper and other media about this case, and his comment appeared in the evening edition of the aforementioned media.

December 24, 2014
Mr. Honda commented about Hague Convention on Nihon Keizai Shimbun.

September 3, 2014
Mr. Honda was interviewed by media about Hague Convention.

Mr. Honda was interviewed by Mainichi shimbun and other media about Hague Convention. He introduced the relocation order system which runs in Hague Convention countries when custodial-parent wants to relocate to other place, and he commented that there is a neccesity to develop such system in Japan.

April 21, 2014
 Mr. Honda is registered to JFBA lawyer's list for Lawyer Referral Service for Hague Convention Cases.

As of April 1st 2014, the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction (The Hague Convention) came into force in Japan.

We handle Hague Convention Cases, so please feel free to contanct us.