Father Released from Japanese Prison
An American father – Christopher Savoie -was recently released from a Japanese prison after he alleged attempted to take his children from his ex-wife.
Savoie and his ex-wife Noriko Savoie were married 14 years when they decided to file for divorce in January 2009 due to adulterous circumstances. He remarried the next month.
The couple lived in Japan, but moved to the United States before their divorce. Both parents are citizens of the United States and Japan. His ex-wife was initially awarded child custody providing she resided in the U.S. with the children. He had visitation rights.
About a month after the divorce, Christopher had received an e-mail from Noriko stating, “It’s very difficult to watch [the] kids becoming American and losing Japanese identity. I am at the edge of the cliff. I cannot hold it anymore if you keep bothering me.”
Christopher suspected she’d take the children and pleaded with Judge James G. Martin III to give him custody in fear he would not see his children again. The judge advised Noriko if she moved the children to Japan she would lose her alimony and education funds awarded to her in the divorce.
The judge did however allow her to travel with the children to Japan because he did not believe she was a flight risk. After the trip – she returned back home with the children.
Christopher later learned that Noriko took the children to Japan when they were supposed to start school. He then filed a suit against his ex for full child custody and won, but this did not mean it would be enforced in Japan, where the mother usually retains full custody of the children.
He then made the trip to Japan to get his children back. He took his two children – 8-year-old Isaac and 6-year-old Rebecca on Sept 28 as his ex-wife walked them to school in the rural town of Yanagawa.
He traveled with his kids to the nearest U.S. consulate in Fukuoka in attempt to obtain passports for the children. He was allegedly screaming at the guards to let him in when the Japanese police arrived and arrested him.
Now there are a few issues standing in Christopher’s way of getting back his children. Japan did not agree to a 1980’s Hague Convention law which handles international child abduction.
Also Japanese law focuses on sole custody divorces so one parent has custody of the children, which is usually the mother.
According to the US State Department, in many cases, “foreign parents have little luck in regaining custody.”
Also in Japan the couple is still considered married since they never actually got divorced in the country according to police officials.
Authorities have put the charges of child kidnapping on hold for the time being.
October 22nd, 2009 at 9:20 am
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November 8th, 2009 at 3:07 am
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November 12th, 2009 at 9:03 am
His release video interview was not as vehement or strong as a Father should have been in this interview which would have been a perfect venue to send a slam dunk solid message to his ex-wife…..
I would have stated:
“I will not stop until I get my kids back”….
And at this point, solicit underground help, and would stop
at (NOTHING) to sneak them back out of Japan, and back
into the U.S…..
My message to Dad:….
If at first you don’t succeed – try and try again.
Forget appealing to Japans legal system, take your kids
back by any means, or by force if need be……
Any Father or Mother that truly loves their children, never
ever gives up the fight !….
Period – End of story !….
Scott O’Bara……
Middletown, CT
November 21st, 2009 at 8:31 pm
Sadly, it is most often the case where we hear of how the father has been put in this impossible situation. Few can empathize with one who has gone through this. What we do not hear of is what the child has gone through. It is not the case that a loving and caring parent went above and beyond to love and care for the child’s mother so the path to the destruction of the family would not have happened in the first place. Typically it is a verbally, emotionally or worst, physically abusive spouse that leads to the destruction of the family. Now, we want all to feel sorry for us and the child. Lawyers will lead the Dad on telling him how it is his right to exert his will. In the end, the child will hate him for attacking his mother. Men, we treated our wives poorly. Our child witnessed it. Now we will attempt to grab our kid and bring them back to our world, taking them away from their mother? Learn and listen. I suffered this fate. I did not engage in sex with other women when I was married. I did not bring the family to financial ruin. I did not cheat, steal or live an immoral life. Materially life couldn’t be better with a high six figure income. But I provided nothing to my family in way of showing love and emotional support to my wife; no instead, it was all about the making it and as result my son saw an irritated, ornery, and verbally abusive Dad who left his wife emotionally years before. Then she departs knowing no other way out,,,,and oh the outrage. You suffer. Let the mother and the child live in peace. Support them financially if the opportunity is there. And maybe, just maybe the mother will have a different story about who you are and the type of man we are, and perhaps the day will come when they want to be a part of your life on there terms. I chose to love my wife by letting her live in peace and to support her and my son in any way I can. Just maybe, Joey will look at the situation when he gets older and see Dad did his best in a terrible situation. And perhaps your child will want to see you someday. Continue to listen to lawyers and others about your rights? Don’t plan on your child ever wanting to be in your life. Harse, but that is the reality I live.
November 23rd, 2009 at 3:24 am
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