Alimony and Other Divorce Related Payments in Japan

See also our  sections on Child Custody and Child Support.

One person says:

Well, having been divorced here once, the following is based on my experience and friends' experiences - this may not be legally accurate.

There are some basic settlements that are customary, but are not required by law - typically in a no fault divorce the husband will give the wife 2-3 million yen as seed money.

There are other settlements that can be demanded under certain circumstances - in a case of infidelity, the slighted party can demand 3 million yen from the spouse, and also from the spouse's lover. (As if one needed another reason not to get involved with married people...). Basically, alimony doesn't exist, child support is minimal and essentially voluntary, as there is no way to force a delinquent parent to pay up.  Property settlements are by negotiation - but generally wives do not keep houses/condos because the husband would no longer be required to maintain the monthly payments on the property.

Another says:

My only added comment is to clarify that the settlement is often a simple lump sum amount. Ive heard alternately that it may or may not include retirement savings, and that it is or is not up to 50%. So it is either vague, or varies on a case by case basis. If your Japanese wife establishes grounds for divorce where you are at fault, the amount will include some compensation money for that. In fact I hear that it is often divided into two amounts. The normal amount and the compensation money. I don't think there is a concept of monthly alimony, but I could easily be wrong on this point. I have never researched it. Whether or not the man could get the money from the wife instead, theoretically I think its possible, but I'm not sure.

The part about not being able to force a delinquent parent to pay up, in the above, is likely wrong.  Especially if you work for a Japanese corporation.  I have heard differently,