Adoption from Japan is open to married couples.
Children Available for Adoption:
The children who are referred for International adoption from Japan are generally newborns. The majority of babies who become available for adoption are born to single women, who, due to the cultural and societal norms in Japan, are unable to care for their babies. The infants are usually surrendered for adoption at maternity hospitals immediately after they are born.
Because Japan is a Non-Hague country, the children placed for adoption to the US must meet the “orphan definition”. Typically, this means that the only children available for placement to the US are born without an identified father. Every child that is placed internationally will be a child who has not successfully been matched with a domestic, Japanese adoptive family. Birth mothers are given leeway in selecting the family in which their child is placed.
Under Japanese law, only children under the age of 6 are available for adoption. Families are not allowed to specify gender.
Eligible Applicants
Married couples are the only eligible applicants for a Japanese adoption. The country does not permit same sex marriage, partners, or single men or women to adopt children from Japan. Parents must be no more than 45 years older than the child they are seeking to adopt. The prospective parents must in good health and have no criminal history.
Adoption from a Japan can have a slightly different process from other countries. It is important to speak with a licensed and accredited adoption agency about this process.
