Disrupt, Support and Document: The Role of Social Media in International Parental Child Abduction Cases Involving Japan

Abstract

In this article, I examine the use of social media by parents involved in cases of international parental abduction to and from Japan, with a focus on cases of abduction to Japan. I argue that the use of social media in these cases is a symptom of and a counter to a legal system which has been outpaced by changes in society, particularly the creation and dissolution of international families. This article discusses a number of case studies of social media usage and locates these in the context of the contemporary Japanese legal system. While not ignoring the nefarious potential of social media usage, I come to a positive assessment of its use in cases of international parental child abduction involving Japan. I also question how its utility will change over time, depending on the legal system’s ability to adapt to societal changes and expectations.

Keywords

• Japan
• parental child abduction
• custody disputes
• social media
• law
• family law
• human rights
• international law
• internationalisation
• technology
• Facebook
• children