BBC News Tokyo 2020: A parent's plea in the shadow of the Olympics Close In Tokyo a French father is drawing the world’s attention to what he says is the kidnapping of children by their own parents in Japan. Vincent Fichot started a hunger strike outside the Olympic stadium on 10 July. He says his Japanese wife disappeared from the family home with his two children three years ago and that he has not seen them since. His story is far from rare in a country that only allows one parent sole custody of children when marriages break down, and other parents have joined his protest.