Child Abduction Issue Explodes

[Mulboyne]

News Channel 5 has an exclusive. If you click the link, then there's a video.

Christopher Savoie Talks About Japan Ordeal

In a NewsChannel 5 Investigates exclusive, Christopher Savoie speaks out about the ordeal that landed him in a Japanese jail. The Williamson County father is back home after a failed effort to reclaim the son and daughter who were abducted from him. That drama began in Franklin, Tennessee, and played out half a world away in Fukuoka, Japan. Monday, Savoie sat down with NewsChannel 5's chief investigative reporter Phil Williams. "I'm glad to be home," Savoie told Williams. "I'm very glad to be home." Savoie says the ordeal of more than two weeks in a Japanese jail was bad enough. But coming home without his children -- now-9-year-old Isaac and 6-year-old Rebecca -- was excrutiating. "There are no words for it, you know. There just aren't any words for it"...more...

[Greji]

News Channel 5 has an exclusive. If you click the link, then there's a video.

Christopher Savoie Talks About Japan Ordeal

IM(not so humble)0, the prosecutors let him go because they would not be able to make kidnapping as a charge stick. (As most of you know, the prosecutors in Japan will only accept cases from the police for indictment which they feel they can obtain a conviction. All others cases are released at the end of the max 23 days in the butabako).

I think that if he had just walked up to the consulate like an ordinary US citizen going there for business with his children, he probably would not have been stopped by the J-fuzz. The US Embassy and all Counsulates are appropriately guarded with riot police. This frisbee claims he ran through the riot police holding the daughter (like an escaping convict) and needless to say the riot police guards were going to stop his ass. They routinely stop you at the Embassy, but you just flash your passport and say appropriate like "I'm just here to use the loo for a wank" and they let you right through. This clown gave 'em a reason to grab him and that would cause his name to come out. If he is Japanese as claimed and is still married under J-law, there is no case and his subsequent release would also indicate no case. Again, the young lions in the Procurator's office will prosecute any gaijin case with glee as long as the conviction is obvious. They do not have the authority to tell him to leave country even if he is a gaijin. That ruling can only be made by a court or an immigrations board. If he is Naturalized Japanese as claimed, they have no right or law to deport him or order him out of country unless a court strips him of his citizenship first.

There seems to be a lot more to this story that ain't being told on both sides.

But it sure did put some heat on Japan in the media, so it may not have been a bad thing after all.

[omae mona]

Greji - I think you are spot on about the reasons for his release, and spot on that deportation is impossible if he really has citizenship.

The only thing I would add, though, is that it may not be so easy to get into the embassy nowadays, even with the "use the loo" excuse. I haven't been there in a long time myself. But as of August 2009, it seems the U.S. embassy in Tokyo is requiring appointments for all its citizens for any non-emergency services. I am not sure if "the loo" counts as an emergency embassy service (though it seems like it should....).

FYI for those curious, the announcement about the new entrance policy is here, and the online appointment application system is here

I cannot tell whether this appointment-only policy applies to Fukuoka or not, though.

[American Oyaji]

It applies to Sapporo, so I'm sure it applies to Fukuoka.

And thanks for reminding me. I'm going to Aomori in a couple months.

[Greji]

The only thing I would add, though, is that it may not be so easy to get into the embassy nowadays, even with the "use the loo" excuse. I haven't been there in a long time myself. But as of August 2009, it seems the U.S. embassy in Tokyo is requiring appointments for all its citizens for any non-emergency services. I am not sure if "the loo" counts as an emergency embassy service (though it seems like it should....).

OM, the Loo is a winner everywhere! No one wants to impeded a Loo'er!

Actually, the appointment system is a bit of eyewash and they don't sort out whether you have an appointment or not, until you are inside and at a minimum, the Embassy's own check point. Either way, you are away from the J-police. I suppose the J-fuzz can ask you if you have an appointment or not, but they are in no position to do anything about it. If you say "I'm her to breachload the Ambassador's secretary per her urgent request", they have no way to know and shouldn't have any. Simply put, they are there as shock troops, to physically stop any physical attacks, or other assaults upon the embassy, prior to them reaching the embassy grounds. They are not there to screen visitors and check baggage.

[omae mona]

OM, the Loo is a winner everywhere! No one wants to impeded a Loo'er!

Especially one who wants to use the loo for a wank like you originally suggested!

(p.s. I heard that on request, they supply American dirty magazines selected personally by the cultural attache)

[dimwit]

What is all this talk about loos? Are you sure you guys aren't Brits? No wonder they wouldn't let you into the embassy. They probably thought you came from the Finsbury Mosque.

[Greji]

What is all this talk about loos?

Hey, it is what it is! Whether it is a Toto duo nozzled blaster, or a two holer in the outhouse out back.....
When you gotta go, you gotta go....

[Mike Oxlong]

The consulate here you just drive up and talk to the nice j-guard, and tell them what business you have inside. He directs you to a parking lot within the consulate compound, and snap! - you're on US soil. Unfortunately for Chris, when checking out the Fukuoka homepage, you get this:

There is no parking at the consulate, but there are parking lots nearby.

http://japan.usembassy.gov/fukuoka/e/f-map.html

Tough break...

[Cyka UchuuJin]

Especially one who wants to use the loo for a wank like you originally suggested!

(p.s. I heard that on request, they supply American dirty magazines selected personally by the cultural attache)

lucky bastards!
the american embassy in nairobi only supplies condoms in the toilets.

[Greji]

lucky bastards!
the american embassy in nairobi only supplies condoms in the toilets.

Didn't I tell you to stop hanging around those places?

[Cyka UchuuJin]

Didn't I tell you to stop hanging around those places?

but it's next to a goat farm.

[Greji]

but it's next to a goat farm.

You're excused this time.....

[Mike Oxlong]

[Bucky]

Never mind. . .

Authorities have officially dropped all charges against an American who tried to snatch back his children from his ex-wife in Japan, the Fukuoka prosecutor's office said Thursday. Charges had been technically "on hold" since Christopher Savoie was released from jail in October, though legal experts had said the move essentially meant the charges had already been dropped.
The prosecutor's office said at the time that Savoie was released after he promised not to take his children back to the United States "in this manner."
It was not clear whether he had a chance to see his children after his release.

[Screwed-down Hairdo]

Never mind. . .

Authorities have officially dropped all charges against an American who tried to snatch back his children from his ex-wife in Japan, the Fukuoka prosecutor's office said Thursday. Charges had been technically "on hold" since Christopher Savoie was released from jail in October, though legal experts had said the move essentially meant the charges had already been dropped.
The prosecutor's office said at the time that Savoie was released after he promised not to take his children back to the United States "in this manner."

Hate to say, "I told you so..."

[FG Lurker]

Court backs Henderson woman in Japan custody battle
Las Vegas Sun, November 13, 2009

In a custody battle that spans two continents, the Nevada Supreme Court has ruled that three children, now with their father in Japan, must be returned to their mother in Henderson.

The court affirmed the ruling of Clark County Family Court Judge Cheryl Moss, who held that the "home state" of the children is Henderson with their mother, Yoko Ogawa, who has filed for divorce from Shinichi Ogawa.

But the court conceded there may be problems enforcing the ruling of Judge Moss because Japan has not signed an international treaty that "promotes the prompt return of children who have been wrongfully removed from their state of habitual residence."

The children went to Japan in August 2004 for three months of vacation but were supposed to return to Henderson to their mother, who became a lawful permanent resident of the United States.

The father never sent the children back to the United States and Yoko filed a custody suit. Judge Moss found the father had wrongfully withheld the children in Japan. The Supreme Court said Judge Moss properly ruled, even though The Hague Convention treaty does not apply. And it said the mother is free to "pursue other remedies" to gain the return of her children.

(Full Story)

Definitely a different angle on things... Japanese national in the US trying to get her kids back from a Japanese national who is holding them in Japan.

[Samurai_Jerk]

Court backs Henderson woman in Japan custody battle
Las Vegas Sun, November 13, 2009

Definitely a different angle on things... Japanese national in the US trying to get her kids back from a Japanese national who is holding them in Japan.

Interesting. THIS is the case that people should use to get Japan talking about this issue.

[Mike Oxlong]

Interesting. THIS is the case that people should use to get Japan talking about this issue.

Because this divorce involves no infidelity or other confounding issues...?:confused:

[Screwed-down Hairdo]

Because this divorce involves no infidelity or other confounding issues...?:confused:

No, no, no...SJ is saying that because -- I'm sure -- this is a case that shows the convention affects exclusively Japanese couples as well, and is not just something related to foreigners (and therefore not worth thinking about).
Even though SJ is right, unfortunately this case will attract approximately zero attention in the local media (just about any Japanese I know will regard this as nothing more than a domestic dispute unworthy of mainstream media coverage....I doubt they could understand the implications).
Japan is the proverbial frog in the well and perfectly happy to stay that way regardless of what happens.

[Mike Oxlong]

Cheers...now that the beer fog has lifted, that makes sense.

[Samurai_Jerk]

What SDH said.

Anyway, I know the J-media won't run with it but I was thinking more of the groups that are out there trying to get things changed.

[FG Lurker]

I don't think any issue that involves helping someone (even Japanese) take kids out of Japan will push the country into signing the Hague convention.

Japan will sign the Hague convention only when there is enough domestic noise about kids who are abducted *from* Japan that Japanese parents can't get back.

[Samurai_Jerk]

Japan will sign the Hague convention only when there is enough domestic noise about kids who are abducted *from* Japan that Japanese parents can't get back.

We should start an underground railroad of sorts to help people do just that.

[FG Lurker]

We should start an underground railroad of sorts to help people do just that.

"In 1972 a crack commando unit was sent to prison by a military court for a crime they didn't commit. These men promptly escaped from a maximum security stockade to the Los Angeles underground. Today, still wanted by the government, they survive as soldiers of fortune. If you have a problem, if no one else can help, and if you can find them, maybe you can hire the A-Team."

[Mike Oxlong]

[Samurai_Jerk]

"In 1972 a crack commando unit was sent to prison by a military court for a crime they didn't commit. These men promptly escaped from a maximum security stockade to the Los Angeles underground. Today, still wanted by the government, they survive as soldiers of fortune. If you have a problem, if no one else can help, and if you can find them, maybe you can hire the A-Team."

Have you heard about the movie coming out starring former Pride fighter Quinton "Rampage" Jackson as BA?



BTW, they were showing reruns on Japanese TV a couple of years ago. I caught a few episode and noticed that in the Japanese version Murdock and BA were called Monkey and Kong respectively.

[FG Lurker]

Have you heard about the movie coming out starring former Pride fighter Quinton "Rampage" Jackson as BA?

It promises to be a great mindlessly entertaining movie (which means I'm really looking forward to it!)

BTW, they were showing reruns on Japanese TV a couple of years ago. I caught a few episode and noticed that in the Japanese version Murdock and BA were called Monkey and Kong respectively.

Must not have been translated by that woman who does such a horrible job on all the movies here...

[Mulboyne]

[Bucky]