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.

Here, only 7.9% of the population have donor cards, and of those who have them, two in five are still to indicate their choices on the card, making it less than one in twenty of the population from whom organs can be taken for transplant. As a comparison, in the UK 23% of the population are registered donors.

The questions on differentiating between brain death and actual heart stopping death in Q10 to Q13 are especially interesting. This suggests that the Japanese bascially see brain death the same way as cardiac death. Interestingly, the term “brain death” was not elaborated upon within this survey as it is a more severe state than persistent vegetative state which is perhaps what people associate with the term; I, for one, was unaware of the distinction.

Q7: According to the laws on organ donation, in order to obtain a donor card the prospective carrier must fill out an application document, and only then will a donor card be issued. Do you know about this? (Sample size=1,725)

Yes	66.4%
No	33.6%

Q8: Do you have an organ donor card, etc? (Sample size=1,725, multiple answer)

Have a card (to SQ1)	7.5%
Have a sticker (to SQ1)	0.3%
Have a column in my health insurance card with donor details (to SQ1)	0.2%
Have none of these cards, etc (to SQ3)	92.1%

Q8SQ1: What organ donation options have you selected on your donor card, etc? (Sample size=136)

On brain death only my organs can be harvested	16.9%
On cardiac death only my organs can be harvested	8.1%
On either brain death or cardiac death my organs can be harvested	32.4%
No organs are to be donated	2.9%
Not selected anything (to SQ2)	39.7%

Q8SQ2: Why have you not filled anything out on your donor card? (Sample size=54, multiple answer)

Because I’ve not decided yet	42.6%
Because before I filled it in I forgot where I put it	22.2%
Because I thought I’d fill it out later	20.4%
Because my family are opposed	9.3%
Because I feel opposed to organ donation	7.4%
Because I don’t really know about organ donation	7.4%
Because it’s bothersome to fill in	3.7%
Other	7.4%
No particular reason	1.9%
Don’t know	0.0%

Q8SQ3: Why don’t you have an organ donor card? (Sample size=1,591, multiple answer)

Because I don’t know how to obtain one	26.5%
Because I feel opposed to organ donation	25.4%
Because I didn’t know they existed	20.7%
Because I don’t really know about organ donation	16.6%
Because obtaining one is bothersome	8.4%
Because my family are opposed	4.3%
Other	8.2%
No particular reason	11.8%
Don’t know	2.3%

Q9: Do you think that it is a good idea that medical insurance certificates have a column for organ donation wishes? (Sample size=1,725)

I think so	38.9%
To some extent I think so	20.2%
Don’t really think so	13.5%
Don’t think so	13.7%
Can’t say either way	8.7%
Don’t know	5.0%

Q10: Assuming you were diagnosed as brain dead, would you want your heart, liver, etc to be offered for transplant? (Sample size=1,725)

Want to donate	22.8%
Perhaps want to donate	18.8%
Can’t say either way	27.0%
Perhaps don’t want to donate	8.1%
Do not want to donate	19.4%
Don’t know	3.9%

Q11: Assuming you suffered cardiac death, would you want your kidneys, eyeballs, etc to be offered for transplant? (Sample size=1,725)

Want to donate	23.7%
Perhaps want to donate	18.6%
Can’t say either way	24.1%
Perhaps don’t want to donate	9.1%
Do not want to donate	20.3%
Don’t know	4.1%

Q12: Assuming a family member was diagnosed as brain dead and had filled out a donor card, would you respect their wishes and approve of their organs being offered for transplant? (Sample size=1,725)

Respect their wishes and approve of transplanting	45.8%
Perhaps respect their wishes and approve of transplanting	25.0%
Perhaps not respect their wishes and not approve of transplanting	4.0%
Not respect their wishes and not approve of transplanting	6.4%
Don’t know what I’d do in that situation	18.9%

Q13: Assuming a family member suffered cardiac death and had filled out a donor card, would you respect their wishes and approve of their organs being offered for transplant? (Sample size=1,725)

Respect their wishes and approve of transplanting	46.3%
Perhaps respect their wishes and approve of transplanting	25.0%
Perhaps not respect their wishes and not approve of transplanting	3.2%
Not respect their wishes and not approve of transplanting	5.9%
Don’t know what I’d do in that situation	19.6%

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