Send us a textEpisode 12Guest - Dan WhiteIn our upcoming episode, I'll be speaking with Dan, a 35-year-old father from the Gold Coast who works in scheduling. Dan has a daughter who was born and raised in Australia, but unfortunately was taken to Japan, and was unlawfully kept there without Dan’s consent and he hasn't been able to see her for the past two years.In May 2018, Dan advertised his spare room for rent and met his ex-partner. She moved in a few days later, and they quickly became very close. Although she initially only intended to stay for three months before returning to Japan, Dan realized he was in love with her after she left. He decided to follow her to Japan, and soon after, they both returned to Australia to build a life together. In 2019, as Dan's visa was nearing its expiration, his ex-partner sponsored him to stay in Australia. Unbeknownst to Dan, his ex-partner had previously obtained a Domestic Violence Order (DVO) against a former boyfriend, which allowed her to gain permanent residency. In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic began, and their relationship faced challenges. His ex-partner pressured him for a wedding ring, and they argued about her going off birth control. According to Dan, his ex-partner timed her cycle and insisted on having sex, which resulted in her becoming pregnant. In 2022, Dan became a father. They decide to go to Japan and to visit his ex-family with their newborn.Dan has informed me that despite Japan signing the Hague convention, they are non-compliant. Upon his return to his father's home, all communication with Dan, his family, and acquaintances was blocked. He subsequently raised funds and consulted a lawyer in Brisbane, who indicated limited options. He understands that the Japanese ruling often grants custody to the parent last holding the child, which he believes incentivizes parental abduction.Dan also notes that, like Australia, fabricated domestic violence claims are reportedly common in Japan. In February 2023, the Australian embassy in Tokyo informed Dan, they could not assist him. His daughter carries his surname internationally, but a Japanese passport only requires one parent's signature.I acknowledge Dan's ongoing efforts to be reunited with his daughter. He recently returned to Japan, this time with another parent searching for their abducted child. Upon arriving at the address where they believed his daughter was, they were met by eight police officers. After exhausting all possible avenues in Japan, he returned to Australia.Since then, "60 Minutes" has contacted Dan to share his story. However, Dan's ex-partner appears to be taking steps to counter this. Before his story could air, Dan received threatening emails from his ex-partner's legal team, instructing him not to speak publicly about the matter. Despite these threats, Dan recognizes them as tactics often employed in such situations.However, this was not for reconciliation but to express her embarrassment over the media coverage. She proposed that Dan could have one hour of phone contact per week with his daughter in exchange for an upfront payment of $30,000 and $600 monthly payments.Dan describes this entire process as an emotional roller coaster, with moments of hope followed by setbacks. He also shared his experience of Japan not being the easily navigable place it's often portrayed, especially while dealing with the profound absence of his child. Dan and I have discussed his ex-partner's apparent unwillingness to have her daughter's father involved in her life. We both feel that the current system often favours the mother, citing government incentives such as grants, DV leave entitlements, potential advantages in property settlements baseSupport the show

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