The Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction rules came into force on 1 April, under the Hague Convention. Cases that fall under the rules will need a lawyer to represent each party. The 150 Japanese lawyers now registered do not cover all parts of the country evenly. For instance, the Osaka area has registered 12 lawyers - but Ai Kuroda, representing the Osaka Bar Association, said: ‘We had a goal of registering 20 lawyers, but the bar is set very high, including being able to work in English.’ An official of the Akita Bar Association said: ‘We cannot provide any lawyers at present.’ Source: Japan News
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