In recent years, a serious phenomenon has been occurring, not only in Japan but all around the world: following the break-up of an international marriage, one parent takes their child or children back to his or her home country without the consent of the other parent. We would like to introduce the Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction (the Hague Convention) which entered into effect in Japan on April 1, 2014 to protect children in this situation.