Abstract
Article 3 of Japan's Organ Transplant Law requires the national and local governments to work to foster public understanding of transplantation medicine. This requirement, however, has not been adequately fulfilled. Consequently, public awareness and understanding of organ transplantation are not necessarily widespread. As a result of this context, organ transplants from living donors are rapidly increasing in Japan. Kidney transplants from living donors performed in Japan to date number more than 1,500, and these, along with liver transplants from living donors, are becoming common. At the same time, developments such as debate over the nominative donations to relatives and organ-swap transplants are stimulating reconsideration of existing concepts of organ transplantation. This article examines the current organ donation environment in Japan and proposes a direction for Japan to take in future.
