Japan to End Restrictions on Women Remarrying After Divorce
- 19th century law assigning paternity to ex partners to change
- Rule led to unregistered kids who struggle to access education
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Japan is set to change a 19th-century law deciding the paternity of a child born after divorce, in a bid to reduce the number of babies who remain unregistered and face difficulty in accessing healthcare and education.
The cabinet approved a bill Friday under which paternity will be awarded to the mother’s spouse at the time of the birth. The revised legislation, set to be presented to parliament for passage in the current session, will also end a ban on pregnant women remarrying within 100 days of divorce, ostensibly imposed to avoid disputes over paternity.