Japanese Adoptions

[canman]

I've been reading a few of the threads today, and since they seem to have a legal theme, I thought I would throw my legal dilema into the ring. I'm in the process of adopting my wife's two children. We have been married for five years, and started the process three years ago. At first I was told the easiest way to do a step parent adoption was to go through International Social Services. So I contacted them, the whole family made the trip down to Tokyo(we are in Aomori-ken), had a nice conversation, was told it would cost us 1000 000 yen for their help. That price included all the paperwork, the cost of transportation for a social worker to come and check us out, three times a year, translation services etc. Well I balked at the cost, and thought I would try on my own.
That is where my nightmare began. My wife and I went to the family court, and met a case worker explained the situation to him, and that I wanted to adopt the children. He looked at me and said to my face, but you are not Japanese, we can't do that. What I found out later, was that he meant the family court didn't have such a precident. He then proceeded to tell us that since I was Canadian, we had to follow the rules and regulations of Canada. I explained to him that I wasn't going to return to Canada, and that I planned on staying in Japan with my wife and the kids. But he insisted that we needed to follow the rules of adoption in Canada. So I started to call different agencies and gov't offices, and kept getting the same answer. You are not living in Ontario(my province) we cannot help you, this is a matter for the Japanese gov't. I returned to the family court and explained it to them, but they said they were sorry since I was not a Japanese citizen, legally there was not ruling that would fit us. One thing I should tell you, is that if I was a Japanese citizen, all I would have to do is go to the city hall and have the kids entered under my koseki. But being a foreinger, I'm not even on my wife's kosekitohon, my name is pencilled in like I'm some kind of half entity. Anyway to make a long story short after months of my mother bugging people at home, and one of my old students helping me, I got a everything I thought I needed went to the court with them explained that step parent adoptions in Ontario are now very easy, fill out the necessary documents get them signed, the judge looks it over and finalizes it. The case worker looks at us and says" no what we need is the procedure". So I had the whole family and services act on adoption translated, at a considerable cost to myself, took it back gave it to him, and he again said"no what I need is the process". Frustrated I asked him what do you mean, I just gave it to you. His answer was " no I need to know what does the judge do, who sits where, how long does the event take." I was blown away by this. He kept asking me, "don't they have a book with the rules and pictures. I was thinking this isn't some movie I can just draw up pictures. Anyway after more than three years we may ge this wrapped up by the end of this year or early next. But it has been quite an eye opener. To tell you the truth I really don't care about the adoption order, I feel the kids are mine, but for legal reasons its necessary for their protection, and mine. Anyway thanks for reading this long and rambling rant, but I finally had to get it out.

[American Oyaji]

I'm not penciled in on my wifes. I'm included.

But since our children were born to us, there isnt any problem.

I hope you get it worked out. Hachinoe City Office can be muzukashii.

And I'm sure you know when japanese get confused, they say no.