Just as much as other children, adopted children have “as far as possible, the right to know […] his or her parents” (Article 7, Convention on the Rights of the Child). Learning about one’s parents is an essential step in ensuring the psychological stability of each child, enhancing their self-esteem, and having them form their own identity. Here, we introduce some ways in which you can access your disparate records and information.
Family register
The family registry is a system that registers and notarizes the nationality and family relations (birth, marriage, adoption, acknowledgment, death, etc.) of Japanese citizens from when they are born to when they die. Please read the detail as below;
Private mediation agency records
Private adoption mediation agencies keep records of their cases, investigation records, and more. There should be records of the circumstances that led to the adoption, how the agency provided support, various information obtained from the birth parents (family structure, upbringing, educational background, hobbies/tastes, personality, affiliations, health information, etc.). Additionally, staff members who were there at the time the agency was working the case may be able to share stories from that time. The records managed and preserved by the mediation agency should also include information about the adopted child at the time of the adoption. You may wish to consult them to find out how you would obtain these records.
Child Guidance Center records
If your adoption was established on the basis of foster care placement by the Child Guidance Center, you may wish to inquire with the Child Guidance Center in your jurisdiction to see if there are any records remaining from that time. A good first step to consultation would be requesting your family register, and calling the Child Guidance Center that has jurisdiction over your place of residence at the time the adoption was established
Reference( in Japanese) List of Child Guidance Centers (Children and Families Agency)
Request Records from Child Guidance Center
Request for Disclosure of Personal Information
The Act on the Protection of Personal Information was established in order to protect the rights and interests of individuals. The Act on the Protection of Personal Information Held by Administrative Organs stipulates that “Any person may, pursuant to the provisions of this Act, request the head of an Administrative Organ to disclose the Retained Personal Information for which the said person is the Individual Concerned, held by the said Administrative Organ” (Article 12 , Paragraph 1).
No reason is required to request such personal information, and minors also have the right to request it (the consent of a legal representative is considered necessary for those 12-15 years of age). If the adopted child is a minor, the adoptive parents may file on the minor’s behalf as their legal representative.
How to Request Disclosure
・Obtain a disclosure request form
・Go to the Child Guidance Center, or the personal information desk of the local government that has established the Child Guidance Center
・Disclosure requests can also be made by mail
You may use notations like the following with regards to the retained personal information for which you would like to request disclosure.
Example1 Child records, guidance progress records, and all other documents regarding me that are held by the XXXXX Child Guidance Center
Example2 All information held by the XXXXX Child Guidance Center regarding me
The information will generally be disclosed as long as you request it. The following information, however, will not be disclosed, and will be blacked out.
・Information on third parties such as birth parents
・Information held under a non-disclosure agreement
・In cases where the parent or guardian requests the disclosure, information that is determined to be detrimental to the interests of the minor if disclosed
Baby Home/Children’s Home Records
If the adopted child was placed in an infant home or children’s home before being taken in by their adoptive parents, records from that time have likely been kept preserved at the facility in question. Residential facilities may have kept a record of the child’s everyday life, health records, birth family visitation records, and more. You may wish to consult them to find out how you can view and obtain such records.
Reference( in Japanese) List of Baby Home in Japan
Reference( in Japanese) List of children’s home in Japan