June 8, 2024

Japanese Communist Party lawmakers Motomura Nobuko and Nihi Sohei on May 31 in the Diet building met with a union which represents workers in Japan’s judicial system (Zenshiho), and received 4,531 signatures calling for an increase in the number of court staff.

In the meeting with the JCP parliamentarians, the union, which is affiliated with the Japan Federation of National Public Service Employees' Unions (Kokko-roren), referred to a post-divorce joint custody system which was recently established through the revision of the Civil Code. Under the system, in cases where parents at the time of divorce cannot reach an agreement on child custody, a family court will make a decision on custody arrangements by taking into account family court investigators’ reports. The union expressed concern about a drastic increase in the family court’s workload, and stressed the need to hire more court staff, including court investigators.

JCP Motomura said that in the Diet deliberation on the introduction of a joint custody system, it was pointed out that the role of the family court would become more important than before. She expressed her determination to work hard to increase staffing levels in the family court system.

Zenshiho pointed out that the promotion of the digitalization of civil litigation procedures without proper facilities and infrastructure is imposing additional work on workers.

JCP Nihi expressed his determination to work together with the union to meet the union’s demand for adding more workers to courts and improving court facilities.

Past related article:
> Amid mounting opposition, revised law to introduce controversial post-divorce ‘joint custody’ enacted [May 18, 2024]