世論 What Japan Thinks

[part 1] [part 2] [part 3]

Over ten days in the middle of November last year the Cabinet Office Japan conducted an opinion poll regarding the matter of organ transplants. Of the 3,000 randomly selected people from all over the country, 57.6%, or 1,725 people, successfully completed the survey in face-to-face interviews. 52.9% were female, 9.8% in their twenties, 14.9% in their thirties, 16.1% in their forties, 20.8% in their fifties, 19.4% in their sixties, and 19.2% aged seventy or older.

This is another subject that generates a lot of comment from foreigners, but up until now I have never seen any hard figures on the situation. I hope my readers too can get as much out of this data as I did. I also hope my translation is accurate enough!

Since this is quite a lengthy survey, it will be published in three parts.

Q1: Are you interested in the subject of organ transplants? (Sample size=1,725)

Yes (to SQ)	59.0%
No	41.0%

Q1SQ: Why are you interested in transplants? (Sample size=1,019, multiple answer)

Because someone close to me has received (or is waiting to) a transplanted organ	8.6%
Because the topic comes up in newspapers and magazines	61.3%
Because the topic comes up on radio or television	74.5%
Because the topic comes up at work or school	8.2%
Because the topic comes up at home	14.1%
Because I’ve participated in a related event	0.6%
Because I’ve seen a poster or leaflet	5.7%
Because I’ve watch a video	1.2%
Because I’ve read a book	4.9%
Other	5.9%
Don’t know	0.5%

Q2: Do you know about “Organ Donor Cards”? (Sample size=1,725)

Yes	78.4%
No	21.6%

Q3: Regarding organ donation and organ donor card and brain death, which of the following should be done? (Sample size=1,725)

Only if an organ donor card has been filled out should organs be taken on brain death	52.9%
If they do not have a card, but their wish to donate can be confirmed with a third party, then organs can be harvested on brain death	19.5%
Even if the person has forbidden organ transplant, with the consent of the family organs may be taken on brain death	17.0%
Other	1.2%
Don’t know	9.4%

Q4: If the brain-dead person’s wishes cannot be determined, what should be done about their organs? (Sample size=1,725)

Because the wishes cannot be determined, they should not be offered for transplant	35.7%
Because they haven’t refused, then they may be transplanted	9.4%
Whether or not to permit harvesting should be decided by the family	48.1%
Other	0.4%
Don’t know	6.5%

Q5: According to the laws on organ transplanting, if a donor card is not carried and no refusal form is present either, in event of death and with the family’s permission, the kidneys and eyeballs can be harvested. Did you know this? (Sample size=1,725)

Yes	27.4%
No	72.6%

Q6: According to the laws on organ transplanting, in order to maintain fairness, a donor cannot choose who should receive the harvested organs. What do you think about this? (Sample size=1,725)

The donor should be able to freely designate who the organs should go to	21.8%
The donor should be able to designate if it is for people in their family, etc	30.9%
The donor should not be able to freely designate who the organs are for	30.8%
Other	1.4%
Don’t know	15.0%

[part 1] [part 2] [part 3]