Maximus Morness Kawabata, known as Max, was five years old when he was last seen on July 25, 2013, in Kirkland, Washington. His disappearance is described as a non-custodial parental abduction: his mother, Chie Kawabata, left their Seattle-area home with Max and boarded a flight to Tokyo in violation of multiple court orders. Courts had denied her prior attempts to relocate Max to Japan, and a court-appointed psychologist had concluded such a move would be harmful to him.

Max’s parents divorced in 2012. His father, Kristoffer Kris Morness, lived in Vancouver, British Columbia, and had court-approved regular visitation; after the abduction Kris was granted full custody and the courts ordered Max’s immediate return, which has not occurred. Communications between father and son have been infrequent over the years, limited to occasional Skype calls and emails, and Max’s precise location in Japan remains unknown.

Anyone with information about Max’s whereabouts or who knew the family before July 25, 2013, is asked to come forward.