We see it often. Two young service members rush into a marriage, perhaps before a deployment or a move, and six months later, they both realize: “This was a mistake.”
When you know the marriage isn’t working, your first instinct might be to search for an annulment. It sounds like the perfect solution—a legal way to say, “This didn’t count.”
But here is the hard truth: Getting an annulment in the US is incredibly difficult.
To get a US judge to grant an annulment, you typically have to prove fraud, bigamy, incest, or mental incapacity. You can’t just say “we aren’t compatible” or “we changed our minds.” If you can’t prove those extreme circumstances, you are stuck filing for a standard, expensive divorce.
The “Okinawa Option” is Better If you are stationed in Okinawa, you have a unique “escape hatch” that is actually easier and faster than a US annulment. It’s called a Kyogi Rikon (Mutual Consent Divorce) facilitated through the Family Court.
Here is why it’s the solution you are looking for:
- No “Fault” Required: The Japanese court doesn’t ask why the marriage failed. They don’t need you to prove fraud or infidelity. If you both stand before the judge and say, “We agree to divorce,” that is enough.
- The “Handshake Split”: If you don’t have kids or property to fight over, this process is purely administrative. It is the closest thing to hitting a reset button on your life.
- Speed & Cost: A US annulment can drag on as you try to gather evidence. Our Okinawa divorce process is straightforward. We handle the paperwork, you show up for a brief hearing, and it’s done.
Don’t Complicate a Mistake If you both agree that the marriage is over, don’t waste time chasing an impossible annulment back in the States. Use your time in Okinawa to get a fast, legal, and recognized divorce so you can both move on with your lives.
Make it a clean break. Contact us today to see how fast we can help you reset.