A reader who signs off as "Desperate" writes: "I am married to a Japanese male and am considering submitting a fujuri todoke (request not to accept notification) because I'm worried my husband might file a rikon todoke (divorce notification paper) without my knowledge.

"As we are living outside Japan, it is difficult for me to submit a fujuri todoke in person at city hall in Japan. So, my questions are: 1) Is it possible for me to submit a fujuri todoke to the Japanese Consulate where I live? 2) If it is not possible, is there any other possible way for me to submit a fujuri todoke?"

Under Japanese law, a divorce can be finalized by mutual consent (kyōgi rikon), and the process couldn't be simpler. Both parties are supposed to fill in a divorce notification paper — the aforementioned rikon todoke — which both then stamp (or sign, if the foreign spouse does not have a personal hanko seal) and submit to their ward office or city hall. One of the parties or even a third person can submit the paper. Kyōgi rikon takes immediate effect upon acceptance by the municipal office, and in practice, the paper is likely to be accepted even if one party has not given consent and his/her signature has been forged.