When a couple is unable to agree upon a divorce in Japan, the next step is for them to file for divorce mediation at their local family court. As the manditory divorce mediation process is somewhat unique to Japan, many foreign nationals are concerned about how it will proceed.
A couple scheduled for divorce mediation will be given a date and time to report to their local family court. Since the couple will enter mediation separately, usually the times for them to arrive will be staggered, so one spouse arrives after the other spouse has already entered the mediation room. This reduces the likelihood that the couple will run into each other in the family court lobby or hallway. Waiting rooms are also separately assigned so there is less chance of spouses meeting by accident while waiting for the mediation to start.
Once the mediators are done talking to the first spouse, usually after confirming some basic facts and the claims being made, the mediators will have the first spouse taken to a waiting room and then call the second spouse into the mediation room. The mediators are trained to take all necessary precautions to avoid having the spouses meet.
While these precautions may not be necessary in every case, ensuring that couples do not meet directly can help some couples maintain a detached and rational view of the proceedings and avoid an explosive emotional encounter with their spouse.
However, mediation conducted in this mannar can be a very lengthy and time consuming process. Calling each spouse into the mediation room individually takes time and even simple questions become more complicated when they need to be communicated to the other spouse through mediators. Therefore, for spouses that want to meet together in person and mediate their problems directly, a direct mediation session between both spouses is possible as long as they can agree to such an arraignment.