Japan

Japan Information Region Asia Population 127433494 GDP (millions USD) 4383762 National Policies Eggs for assisted reproduction PROHIBITED Eggs for research commercial prohibited Inheritable genetic modification PROHIBITED Preimplantation genetic diagnosis no policy Reproductive cloning PROHIBITED Research cloning regulated Sex selection no policy Surrogacy no policy International Agreements 2005 UN Cloning Vote no 2005 UNESCO Sports Doping Convention RATIFIED

Key laws and policies

Human Cloning

• Law Concerning Regulation Relating to Human Cloning Techniques and Other Similar Techniques (June 2001)
  • UNESCO summary of the law

Assisted Reproduction

Although there is no legal regulation for ART, the academic society regulates ART via "guidelines."

Foundational values

The preamble to the 2001 cloning law speaks about "preservation of human dignity, safety for human life and body, and maintenance of social order."

Prohibited practices

Embryo Research/Cloning

The 2001 cloning law prohibits:

• Human reproductive cloning
• Inheritable genetic modification
• The transfer of "a human-animal amphimictic embryo, a human-animal hybrid embryo or a human-animal chimeric embryo into a uterus of a human or an animal"

Permitted and regulated practices

Assisted Reproduction

Japan is listed alongside the United States as one of the most active countries in the world regarding use of assisted reproduction. (See http://www.eshre.eu/Guidelines-and-Legal/ART-fact-sheet.aspx.)

Surrogacy

Despite the absence of laws, the Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology has long prohibited surrogacy in its guidelines. There appears to be no law directly addressing the practice.

Legal Parentage

The Supreme Court ruled that the birth mother or birth parents (birth mother and husband) are the legal parents of a child.

Egg Donation

In 2013, the Nation's first egg bank was established. Egg donation is non-commercial, and donors must meet strict criteria. (See http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2013/05/03/national/nations-first-egg-bank-deluged-with-donors/#.VOkDuS5KVGs.)

Pre-Implantation Genetic Diagnosis

PGD is covered by guidelines, not legislation.

Regulatory activities

In June 2014, it was reported that the Liberal Democratic Party had compiled a bill on assisted reproductive technologies that would allow donations of sperm and ova from third parties and also conditionally allow surrogate births. However, the prospect of its acceptance was questioned, noting opposition from others (within the same party) to all forms of surrogacy. (See http://www.japantimes.co.jp/opinion/2014/06/15/editorials/plan-surrogate-births/#.VOj-qC5KVGs.)

External links

A report from 2008 on the use of assisted reproduction in Japan is available here: http://www.jsog.or.jp/english/img/art%20registry%20of%20japan%202008.pdf.

See generally Japan Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists: http://www.jsog.or.jp/english/.