But parents whose ex-spouses have taken children to Japan should not hold their breath: as Ms Thomas notes, even if Japan eventually adopts the Hague Convention, it will not apply it retrospectively.

• 但是被前配偶将孩子带到日本的父母亲不应焦急等待了：正如托马斯女士指出的，即使日本最终采用了海牙公约，它也不会对以前的事应用这一公约。