JAPAN: Revisions to child abuse laws passed

A bill to revise the Child Welfare Law, which includes measures aimed at curbing abuse at child welfare facilities and establishes a new child care system, was unanimously approved by the Committee on Health, Labor and Welfare in the House of Councillors on Tuesday.

For the first time, the bill provides for measures to prevent and deal with case of child abuse at welfare facilities for children who cannot live with their birth families.

In the revision, employees at child welfare facilities who become aware of abuse will be legally obliged to notify authorities, and abused children can directly contact authorities themselves. Turning a blind eye to child-on-child violence will be regarded as abuse, and local governments required to report annually on the situation of child abuse in their prefectures.

Furthermore, a new national child care system will be established in which foster families can care for up to six children. Another system also slated to be institutionalized allows holders of a nursery school teacher's license to care for children at home.

The bill was scrapped during the previous Diet session due to a so-called "twisted Diet," in which the ruling coalition has an overwhelming majority in the Lower House but the Upper House is controlled by the opposition parties.

Further information

• Govt to grant citizenship to illegitimate childen (18 August 2008)
• Child Rights References in the Reports of the Working Group of the Universal Periodic Review (June 2008)
• New law to ban possession of child pornograhy (11 March 2008)
• More resources on child rights in Japan