This is the case that ISSJ placed a female
child of Japanese citizenship, 2 years and
11 months old, to a father of US citizenship
and a mother of Belgian citizenship who have
their biological children of 7 and 12 years.
At first, those adoptive parents had not
been informed of the possible adoption from
Japan and had been advancing the procedures
of adoption of a female child from China
through an adoption agency in the US. This
agency requested them to have their family
study conducted by an adoption agency in
Japan and to submit its report to this agency
in the US. Then, the parents contacted ISSJ.
In consideration of the age gap between their
two sons, 7 and 12 years old, the parents
wanted to adopt a child of infancy up to
approximately 3 years old, which was their
first choice. At first, the adoption agency
in the US had informed them that the adopted
children from China would have been infants
in most cases. But by ISSJ's orientation,
the parents learned the fact that it was
also possible to adopt children from Japan
and that there were many more children including
walking age than infants in Japan. As fitted
well with their requirement, the parents
broke up the adoption from China and started
studying the adoption through ISSJ in Japan.
Just around the same time, we had been looking
for an appropriate adoptive parent for a
female child of Japanese citizenship, 2 years
old, but we had not found suitable one so
far. Due to the fact that the biological
mother of this female child was feeble-minded,
any prospective adoptive parents were not
found for her in Japan. We, ISSJ, were therefore
required by the child guidance center to
investigate the possible intercountry adoption.
Although there was a problem that the above
adoptive parents would stay in Japan for
shorter than 1 year, we judged after the
home study of the adoptive parents that it
was the best matching with this child and
placed the female child to adoptive parents
in October 2006. Normally, ISSJ does not
take any action to place children to adoptive
parents if the length of their stay in Japan
is shorter than 1 year. This is because it
takes at least about 1 year to complete all
procedures for adoption, for change of first
name or family name, for notification of
its decree, for visa acquirement for children
to live in adoptive parent's home country,
etc. At first, the adoptive parents had been
obliged to leave Japan before the summer
2007. It was therefore an exceptional decision
for ISSJ to take. At the stage of making
the placement schedule, the father of adoptive
mother died in Belgium. We carried forward
the proceedings, taking the psychological
situations of all the family members including
this adoptive mother into consideration.
The placement and the trial period went on very smoothly. After the placement, we had been concerned about the conflict between the adopted child and the biological child of 7 years, but the adoptive parents coped with the situation with patience so that three children gradually developed good relationship and brotherhood between them. The adopted child and the biological children differed in sex, and the adopted child was younger than the biological children. We think that those elements worked out favorably for all family members as well as the adopted child for accommodating her to the new family environment.
All family members are taking the adopted child with love as their baby. During the trial period, the father of the adoptive father passed away in the US. Since the procedures for the adoption had not completed at that time, only the adoptive father went back home for the funeral. Because the adoptive parents had been strongly wishing to take her to show to her grandfather, they got so much disappointed. But they could well understand the situation of the adopted child and take this matter in a calm manner. The anxiety about the family's length of stay has been cleared away, as fortunately the adoptive father's company transfer was postponed. We expect to complete the procedures of adoption at family court as well as to obtain the US visa for the adopted child before the family leaves Japan. This time, we have encountered various unexpected events from the start. But because of the efforts and cooperation from the adoptive parents, things surprisingly took a good turn at the end every time. The procedure of adoption is a process having something to do with the lives of people concerned, and therefore, we will continue to positively work, being ready for any possible encounters with unexpected situations.
(This project is being conducted by the subsidy from Japan Keirin Association)
Just around the same time, we had been looking
for an appropriate adoptive parent for a
female child of Japanese citizenship, 2 years
old, but we had not found suitable one so
far. Due to the fact that the biological
mother of this female child was feeble-minded,
any prospective adoptive parents were not
found for her in Japan. We, ISSJ, were therefore
required by the child guidance center to
investigate the possible intercountry adoption.
Although there was a problem that the above
adoptive parents would stay in Japan for
shorter than 1 year, we judged after the
home study of the adoptive parents that it
was the best matching with this child and
placed the female child to adoptive parents
in October 2006. Normally, ISSJ does not
take any action to place children to adoptive
parents if the length of their stay in Japan
is shorter than 1 year. This is because it
takes at least about 1 year to complete all
procedures for adoption, for change of first
name or family name, for notification of
its decree, for visa acquirement for children
to live in adoptive parent's home country,
etc. At first, the adoptive parents had been
obliged to leave Japan before the summer
2007. It was therefore an exceptional decision
for ISSJ to take. At the stage of making
the placement schedule, the father of adoptive
mother died in Belgium. We carried forward
the proceedings, taking the psychological
situations of all the family members including
this adoptive mother into consideration.The placement and the trial period went on very smoothly. After the placement, we had been concerned about the conflict between the adopted child and the biological child of 7 years, but the adoptive parents coped with the situation with patience so that three children gradually developed good relationship and brotherhood between them. The adopted child and the biological children differed in sex, and the adopted child was younger than the biological children. We think that those elements worked out favorably for all family members as well as the adopted child for accommodating her to the new family environment.
All family members are taking the adopted child with love as their baby. During the trial period, the father of the adoptive father passed away in the US. Since the procedures for the adoption had not completed at that time, only the adoptive father went back home for the funeral. Because the adoptive parents had been strongly wishing to take her to show to her grandfather, they got so much disappointed. But they could well understand the situation of the adopted child and take this matter in a calm manner. The anxiety about the family's length of stay has been cleared away, as fortunately the adoptive father's company transfer was postponed. We expect to complete the procedures of adoption at family court as well as to obtain the US visa for the adopted child before the family leaves Japan. This time, we have encountered various unexpected events from the start. But because of the efforts and cooperation from the adoptive parents, things surprisingly took a good turn at the end every time. The procedure of adoption is a process having something to do with the lives of people concerned, and therefore, we will continue to positively work, being ready for any possible encounters with unexpected situations.
(This project is being conducted by the subsidy from Japan Keirin Association)
