Masako Suzuki Akeo (53) has joint custody of her 16-year-old son in Canada, where he was born. After divorcing her Japanese husband, she had joint custody in Japan as well. However, Tokyo Family Court changed this status, awarding sole custody to her ex-husband. Her son was abducted by his father from Canada to Japan at the age of 11. He then went missing. She has managed to meet him only twice in the past 8 years. After she visited him at his school in October 2009, he disappeared. Having been denied visitation rights by Tokyo High Court, she is appealing to the Supreme Court. She established Left Behind Parents Japan in June 2009 and actively supports LBPs around the world. Mazako sadly passed away in 2019 after spending almost her entire adult life trying to reunite with her son.

Credit: cargocollective.com