Justice Minister Masahiko Komura asked an advisory panel Friday to examine issues regarding a civil law revision to confirm the parentage of babies born under fertility treatment using sperm or ova provided by close relatives, ministry officials said.
Among issues the ministry's legislative council is expected to discuss are whether the woman who donated ova or the surrogate mother should be identified as the mother and whether the donor of the sperm or husband of the surrogate mother should be identified as the father. As there is no relevant legislation in the current civil law, the legal status of babies born under these circumstances is unclear.
The council will also address the case of a woman who gave birth by in vitro fertilization using donated sperm and ova.
It is expected to take considerable time to compile a report to the minister as there are wide-ranging opinions on these issues among experts.
A panel of the former Health and Welfare Ministry in December compiled a report proposing close relatives be allowed to provide sperm or ova in fertility treatment. The report proposes denying the parent-child relationship between donors and babies.
Meanwhile, the council endorsed a draft establishing a system in which nonprofit and nonpublic organizations such as neighborhood associations be granted corporation status.
The government is expected to submit the bill to the ongoing Diet session in March.