Childsupport Law Office is a Japanese law office in Nihonbashi, Tokyo. We handle divorce for couples where one spouse is not Japanese, and for Japanese nationals living outside Japan.
Our representative, Yusuke Sasaki, is a Japanese attorney (bengoshi) and a gyoseishoshi — a separately licensed Japanese legal professional qualified to draft and file official documents and agreements. He read Political Science at the State University of New York at Buffalo, holds an LL.M. from Durham University in the United Kingdom, and practised at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer before founding this office. He handles English-language matters himself.
Three things that are different here
1. The attorney speaks English
You are not paying for a translator to sit between you and legal advice. When you ask whether Japanese law or your home country’s law governs your property division, you get the answer from the person who will handle your case.
2. Documents, mediation and enforcement — one office
Most divorce matters in Japan begin with a written agreement and, when the other side stops paying, end with enforcement against their salary. In Japan these are normally handled by two different professions.
This office is registered as both. Your divorce agreement, your notarial deed, your family court mediation and — if it comes to it — the seizure of the other party’s wages are handled without changing offices or re-explaining your case.
3. Child support is what we do
Our name is not decoration. A substantial part of this office’s work is the setting and collection of child support (yōikuhi) — including cases where the paying parent has left Japan.
One office, from the first draft to enforcement
- Step 1Divorce agreementDrafted in English and Japanese
- Step 2Notarial deedEnforceable without a court judgment
- Step 3Family court mediationWhere agreement is not reached
- Step 4Court decisionAdjudication or judgment
- Step 5EnforcementAgainst salary or assets when payment stops
In Japanese practice the first two steps are ordinarily gyoseishoshi work and the last three are attorney work — two separate professions. This office is registered as both, so your matter does not change hands at the point it becomes difficult.
Japanese family law changed on 1 April 2026
Three changes matter to international couples, and most English-language material online was written before they took effect.
| What changed | Why it matters to you |
|---|---|
| Joint parental authority became possible | Until 31 March 2026, one parent had to hold sole parental authority after divorce. Parents can now agree on joint authority — but agreement is required, and the family court decides where parents disagree. |
| Statutory child support | A parent can now claim a minimum monthly amount even where no amount was agreed at the time of divorce. |
| A statutory lien on child support | Child support claims now carry a preferential right, which changes what is needed before enforcing against the other party’s assets. |
These changes interact with questions that only arise in cross-border cases: which country’s law applies, what happens when a parent returns home, and whether a Japanese order can be enforced abroad.
Read next: Joint custody in Japan — what the 2026 law says for foreign parents · Child support in Japan after divorce — what changed on 1 April 2026 · Is a Japanese divorce by agreement valid in your country? · Divorce and your status of residence in Japan
Where we can help
- Divorce by agreement (kyōgi rikon) and drafting the divorce agreement
- Notarial deeds (kōsei shōsho) — enforceable without a court judgment
- Family court mediation (chōtei) and adjudication
- Child support: setting the amount, and collecting it when payment stops
- Parental authority and visitation
- Division of marital property, including assets held outside Japan
- Questions about residence status arising from divorce
Consultations
First 30 minutes: no charge.
We hold two fixed slots each week for people outside Japan.
| Japan time | Your local time | |
|---|---|---|
| Slot A | Thursday 9:00–11:00 | US West Coast Wed 17:00–19:00 · US East Coast Wed 20:00–22:00 |
| Slot B | Tuesday 17:00–19:00 | Central Europe Tue 10:00–12:00 · UK Tue 9:00–11:00 |
If you are in Japan — including Okinawa and US base communities — our regular hours are 9:00–17:00 JST on weekdays.