NPR.org

Steve Christie cannot see his son because his Japanese ex-wife has sole custody, a typical arrangement in Japan. He is one of about 70 American parents in that position, and the U.S. warned Tokyo on Tuesday that it must revise its family laws or risk hurting ties between the two longtime allies.

Laws that allow only one parent to have custody of children in cases of divorce — nearly always the mother — set Japan apart from most other developed countries. They also leave most fathers, including foreigners, unable to see their children until they are grown.

Source: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=123259204