Kizuna Child-Parent Reunion
Chronology
April 2013
Apr 23 The Japanese House of Representatives passes Hague legislation unanimously.
http://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20130423/k10014119361000.html
http://the-japan-news.com/news/article/0000157024

Apr 19 Diet testimony in the Judicial Affairs Committee given by Mr. Yasuyuki Watanabe and Professor Takao Tanase.
http://www.shugiintv.go.jp/jp/index.php?ex=VL&deli_id=42688&media_type=fp
Page from www.special-law.info with PDFs of handout documents for testimony on April 19.
Apr 17 Japan Times article about From the Shadows and David Hearn.
Apr 4 Deliberation for two hours on the Hague Convention in a plenary session of the Diet. Foreign Minister Kishida and Justice Minister Tanigaki speak and respond to issues. Speeches by members of four political parties.
http://www.shugiintv.go.jp/jp/index.php?ex=VL&u_day=20130404
Go to the 本会è°ï»¿ link.
March 2013
Mar 28 Supreme Court of Japan ruling upholding Sapporo High Court ruling that financial penalty for failure to comply with a clear visitation agreement is legal.
http://www.courts.go.jp/hanrei/pdf/20130401161551.pdf

Mar 15 Representative Tsuyoshi Shiina raises issues in judicial committee of House of Representatives and asks questions of Justice Minister Tanigaki.
Mar 15 Cabinet approves Hague implementing legislation enabling it to be submitted to the Diet for a vote.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Kishida speaks at 00:50.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0z1XdqZyHIc
Mar 7 Chairman of Kizuna Child-Parent Reunion spoke with US Ambassador Roos about child abduction issue.
Kizuna Child-Parent Reunion receives a response to the letter to Secretary Kerry.
Mar 5 Representative Yoshimi Watanabe leader of Your Party asks questions of Prime Minister Abe in a plenary session of the Diet.
February 2013
Feb 14 meeting between US Ambassador Roos and Mr. Kawai, Chairman of Foreign Affairs Committe of Japanese House of Representatives
http://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20130214/t10015516231000.html
In English Mr. Kawai says that he will do everything in his power to have Hague legislation approved by G8 summit in June. This matches the stated objective of Kizuna Child-Parent Reunion on November 24, 2012 at the general meeting.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zRelEIfkY2U
Feb 13 questioning by Representative Hase in Diet regarding child abduction issue and Hague Convention
He starts at 14:31
http://www.shugiintv.go.jp/jp/index.php?ex=VL&deli_id=42410&media_type=fp
Feb 10 Dualingual broadcast with Bruce Gherbetti
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Vsg55NpCBis
Feb 1 Online petition on Avaaz to Secretary Kerry
Letter to Secretary Kerry
English with Japanese and Spanish translations
http://kizuna-cpr.org/letter_to_secy_john_kerry
January 2013
Jan 31 Mr. Yoshimi Watanabe, leader of Your Party, raises issue of Hague Convention in Diet session.
Jan 16 Hague Convention Symposium by MoFA about mediation
Jan 4 Japan Times article with quotes from Mr. Yasuyuki Watanabe and John Gomez
Child custody injustices hard to fix
Jan 1 House Resolution 193 for children of Colin Bower abducted to Egypt passes
Anatomy of a Kidnapping, Internet radio story from ABC Australia radio about case headed to Japan that is foiled in the UK; Eric Kalmus is a protagonist, and Colin Jones renders expert opinion.
December 2012
Dec 31 Mr. Fumio Kishida, the new Minister of Foreign Affairs is quoted as saying in a Japan Times article when talking about the Hague Convention, "It is embarrassing that Japan can't even have discussions about this issue due to confusion at the Diet." He refers to political conflict between the ruling party this year, the DPJ, and the opposition party, the LDP.
Dec 29 awareness raising at Gifu JR Station
Dec 26 PM Abe selects Cabinet
Dec 21 Senator John Kerry nominated to be next US Secretary of State
Dec 16 LDP victory in lower house election, Shinzo Abe will become Prime Minister
Dec 14 Sandy Hook Elementary school tragedy twenty 1st and 2nd grade school children killed
Dec 13 South Korea acedes to the Hague Convention; it takes effect March 1, 2013
Dec 11 met Ms. Yukiko Kada at campaign rally at Asagaya statio
Dec 9 Yoyogi concert and Santa Claus street walk to Shibuya
Dec 5 (4th in US) US Senate Resolution 543 passes unanimously; Japan is named three times
November 2012
Nov 28 Japan Future Party officially formed, Ms. Yukiko Kada is leader; party policy points include prohibition of child abduction and joining Hague Convention quickly; she is the aunt of Mr. Yasuyuki Watanabe
Nov 24 Kizuna CPR general meeting; setting goals and objectives till June 2013
Nov 20 ASEAN Summit top-level bilateral meeting held between US & Japan
Nov 19 request sent to US officials asking them to raise child abduction issue at ASEAN Summit meeting between US and Japan; written response received from US Assistant Secretary of State Kurt Campbell on the day before summit; they are engaging the Japanese delegation before the summit
Nov 11 Kimidori Ribbon event: awareness raising at Musashino Park
Nov 5 Universal Periodic Review of Japan is issued; there are about 170 human rights issues; Japan is recommended to sign the Hague Convention and protect children against radiation better
October 2012
Oct 24 US Assistant Secretary of State Kurt Campbell is in Japan; he chides GoJ for revolving door politics
Oct 23 Diet Study session: Mr. Yasuyuki Watanabe, a bureaucrat in the Ministry of Internal Affairs speaks out about his case and injustices of Japanese family law system; article issued in AERA news magazine; he intends to impeach family court judge in his personal case.
US Special Ambassador Susan Jacobs is in Japan working on Hague Convention with Japanese officials.
From the Shadows film documentary has world premiere at Philadelphia Film Festival Oct 23 and 27.
Oct 10 establishment of Kizuna Child-Parent Reunion; paperwork submitted to Government of Japan