An organ transplant promotion group Tuesday called on the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry to amend the organ transplant law to allow children younger than 15 to become organ donors, group officials said.
In a letter submitted to the ministry, the group pointed out that the age limit in the law restricts the opportunities for younger children to receive organ transplants and noted that the number of donors and organs is dwindling, indicating a lack of public interest in or awareness of organ donation.
The number of brain-dead donors in Japan does not exceed 10 a year, while the number of donors from which kidneys were taken after their hearts stopped is at its lowest level in 10 years, group officials said.
The group made an eight-point request in its letter, including a request that the government help raise public awareness of organ transplants.
The organ donor promotion group is made up of eight organizations concerned with organ transplants. The letter was sent Oct. 16 to coincide with the fourth anniversary of the law coming into effect, they said.