Mendicancy and child support

Mendicancy is the act of having another man’s child recognised as his own. In such cases, the man who recognised him as the legal father may be obliged to pay child support. However, if a DNA test later reveals that he is not the father, the man may be exempted from paying child support, but the specific measures taken depend on national and local laws.

In Japanese case law, there have been cases where the return of child support was not granted even after a DNA test revealed that the man was not the father. For example, in a Tokyo High Court case (15 July 2010), a man’s claim for the return of child support paid in the past was dismissed even though a DNA test revealed that he was not the father. In such cases, the welfare of the child takes priority and the obligation to pay child support may remain.