Fake: Japan’s New Law to Prevent Women From Marrying After a 100-Day Divorce
The Claim
Japan has approved a divorce law similar to Islam's ‘Idda’ period.
News posted on
Emerging story
Websites, pages, and accounts on Facebook and Twitter recently circulated a Guardian report stating that Japan has passed a law prohibiting women from marrying after their divorce for 100 days to prevent intermixing of genealogical lines. Some news claimants likened the decision to Islam's 'Idda' period for divorce, which lasts up to three months.
Misbar’s Analysis
Misbar investigated the circulating claim and discovered it to be false, citing a Guardian report on the subject; it was discovered that the Arab media and accounts misinterpreted it, as Japan did not pass a law similar to the 'Idda' in Islam. Thus, a government committee of the Japanese Ministry of Justice submitted a draft proposing amendments to some laws enacted between 1868 and 1912 and demanded the law's repeal.
It also called for legislation to be changed so that a child born within 300 days of a woman's divorce from her husband was automatically the ex-biological husband's son.
According to Japan Magazine, "the changes will apply only to women who intend to remarry, and will not apply to women who divorce and never remarry, even if they have children." As a result, divorced women who refuse to marry will be subject to the old law and will automatically be attributed to their ex-husband if they give birth to any child within 300 days of divorce.
Translated by Wesam Abo Marq
