I’m a foreigner (with permanent residency) living in Japan with my Japanese wife and our 4-year-old child. My wife is now around 9 weeks pregnant with our second.
She has been having severe morning sickness and emotional ups and downs. Sometimes she says things like:
・“I can’t raise kids anymore.”
・“I’ll just give you custody.”
・“I want a divorce.”
・“Maybe I should get an abortion.”
I honestly don’t know if she really means it or if it’s just temporary stress.
From my side, I want us to raise two kids together as a family. Divorce and custody battles are the last thing I want. But I’m concerned about what would happen in Japan if she actually insisted on giving me custody or pushed for divorce.
I’m also struggling myself — I’ve yelled at my child out of stress, I have overseas business trips coming up, and I feel stretched thin.
My questions:
・In Japan, can abortion, custody or divorce move forward without the father’s agreement?
・As a foreigner with PR, do I have any disadvantage in custody issues?
・How do other foreign parents in Japan manage this kind of family stress, especially with young kids and work travel?
Any insights or experiences would be greatly appreciated.
by hiin19