In October 2025, my son and I fled from Japan, seeking asylum in Ireland to escape the relentless domestic violence and child abuse inflicted by his mother and her parents. The nightmare of unchecked abuse was compounded by the inaction of Japanese authorities, which left us with no choice but to seek protection elsewhere. With the hope of safety and justice, we arrived in Ireland, believing in the promise of rights and protection from such inhumanity.

Regrettably, our hopes were crushed when the Irish courts allowed my son's mother to exploit the Hague Convention, ruling our desperate escape as kidnapping and handing him back to the very environment of abuse we had fled. This decision reflects a deep-seated problem within the Irish legal framework which often unfairly favors maternal custody, even in cases where the mother's actions are abusive or neglectful.

The prevailing belief in Ireland that mothers inherently have a right to custody, even when they have a documented history of abuse, is not only outdated but dangerous. This systemic bias jeopardizes the safety and well-being of countless children, perpetuating a cycle of abuse.

We must push for reform in the family court system, ensuring that custody decisions are made in the best interest of the child, based on evidence and facts rather than outdated societal norms. It is critical to implement a system where each case is judged without gender bias, ensuring the safety of the involved children.

Ireland advertises itself as very progressive in terms of child welfare. Irish, EU, and UN laws are often sited to ensure the people of Ireland, and refugees being protected by Ireland, that children are not only protected but their rights are fought for and their voices (however small) are heard in a legal capacity to ensure they are not mistreated regardless of where they're from. This public-facing progressive stance sadly stands in direct opposition to how Irish courts continue to function and rule cases in the year 2026. It makes Ireland look two-faced and hypocritical.

In line with this, we demand:
1. Comprehensive evaluation of child custody cases focusing on the best interest of the child, free from gender bias.
2. Training for judges and custodial evaluators on the dynamics of domestic abuse and its impact on children.
3. A system of accountability and review for decisions made under the Hague Convention that may contravene child welfare principles.

By amending the current custody laws and practices, Ireland can live up to the image it projects to the rest of the world, ensuring that every child is protected and can thrive in a safe environment. Please join us in calling for immediate change to protect vulnerable children from being unjustly returned to abusive environments.

"How can I help?"

• Sign this petition and share it with your friends online and in real life.
• Boost this petition to increase the number of people who will see it.
• Contact the decision makers, especially if you are an Irish citizen, and express your concerns about our situation and how this problem has and will continue to disenfranchise abused children coming to Ireland from all over the world.
• Donate on GoGetFunding and share the link with anyone you know who might be able to help us financially.
• Follow me on Mastodon or Bluesky, and favorite and repost all posts containing the #BringSoraHome hashtag.
• Use #BringSoraHome and the link to this petition on other social media platforms to increase awareness of this issue.
• If you have any legal expertise in Ireland or Japan, or know someone who does, please contact me.
• If you have an ability to translate between English & Japanese, and want to help me communicate with the authorities in Japan, please contact me.