Job Discussion Forums

[Gouki]

There seems to be a lot of abandon kids in Japan for some terrible reasons, anyone tried adopting them?

[bearcat]

Its near to impossible.

The kids are abandoned to orphanages yes, but in order for the child to be able to be adopted, the parents(or someone of the family who abandoned them who had responsibility over them, MUST sign a waiver to allow them to be adopted. If this document isn't signed, the children must remain in the system under government supervision until they reach adulthood.

If memory serves, less than 1000 adoptions occur in Japan each year. Some of those adoptions as well are not actually children but adult family name adoptions. Those adoptions involve usually a reason such as inheritance of some money or property.

If a child is able to be adopted, the courts require that the adoptive parents meet all adoption requirements of Japan AND the home country(s) of the parents. Once all such documentation is presented to the courts here and all conditions satisfied then the child can be adopted.

Needless to say, the whole system is geared to NOT encourage adoption. Adoption in Japan has a very dark stigma to it. Since alot of Japanese folks still believe in such strong ties and myths related to one's blood, an adoption to many comes across as fake or pseudo real family stuff. To give you an example of such stupidity, a Japanese actress and her husband went to the US and had a surrogate mother carry their child(her egg was fertilized by his sperm and then placed in a US woman to carry full term). When the child was born, the Japanese Government refused to recognize that the child was the actress's and she and her husband were required to adopt the child and it was placed on their family registery (Koseki) as such as well meaning the child will be looked at in that manner forever by the government.

So if someone is interested in adopting in Japan, all I can say is I wish them good luck.

[homersimpson]

Applies to Americans, especially: http://travel.state.gov/family/adoption_japan.html

[shmooj]

It's entirely possible. I myself know of several couples who have managed this. Non-Japanese living in Japan...

Like most things in Japan. You just need gambaru...

[JimDunlop2]

shmooj: Careful about your claim though. I also personally know 2 families (non-Japanese) who live here in Japan and have adopted Japanese children. HOWEVER, they were up for adoption and everything was done through an agency. And yes, it took a LOT of time, patience, gnashing of teeth, and MONEY.

I question whether an abandoned child would fall into that same category or, if like bearcat said, they must remain in the system until adulthood.

JD

[shmooj]

[JimDunlop2]

Far be it for me to downplay the resources required to have and raise a child by any means, but my point was, merely, that a couple would have to have a real heart for an abandoned Japanese child, as there are much easier (and cheaper) ways (and countries) to adopt. I don't discourage anyone from researching it (or even doing it) in Japan of course.... But just know that the beaurocracy and investment placed in such a venture is likely to be more intense than trying to do the same thing elsewhere.

I stand by my original statement to be careful about making claims that adopting abandoned children in Japan is possible, as someone who reads a post that says: "Well yeah, not only is it possible, but I know people who have done it" might misinterpret that as saying "it's easy if you try." I think it paints a much clearer picture if you also try to include some of the issues and associated caveats. You're right -- it's not unassailable, but let's also be clear just HOW difficult it might be.

[shmooj]