Is euthanasia allowed in Japan

Why does Japan not permit euthanasia？

Dr. Tatsuya Mima, a doctor of medicine, summarizes the end-of-life situation in Europe and the United States as follows. It is true that in some Western countries, "active euthanasia," in which a physician injects lethal drugs into a patient's body, and "assisted suicide," in which a patient takes lethal drugs prescribed by a physician and commits suicide, are permitted. In most cases, the patient's pain must be unbearable and there is no hope of recovery, and the patient must make a clear decision. Impending death is not an absolute requirement. In the Netherlands and Belgium, euthanasia is allowed not only for physical pain, but also for emotional pain, and even for minors. In extreme cases, some countries even discuss euthanasia for suffering from old age. The number of cases implemented is not small either. In the Netherlands in 2018, for example, 6,126 people died by euthanasia. In the Netherlands, for example, 6,126 people died by euthanasia in 2018, or 4% of all deaths in the country, or one in every 25 people. It is probably not that uncommon for people to say that a relative or relatives chose euthanasia. Even though euthanasia is not accepted in the majority of countries and regions in Europe and the United States, allowing euthanasia for people suffering from mental anguish and even for minors seems quite extreme in the Japanese sense. The reason behind this is a very strong commitment to self-determination," said Mr. Kato. The argument against it is, for example, that suicide is a crime against God and a defeat. Both support and opposition come from the perspective of 'to what extent is individual self-determination acceptable?

Passive Euthanasia" is allowed in Japan

It is true that active euthanasia and assisted suicide are not permitted in Japan. If you do, you will be charged with murder or assisting suicide. On the other hand, "passive euthanasia," in which a patient in the terminal stage of life who is undergoing painful treatment has his or her death accelerated as a result of discontinuing life-prolonging treatment, is allowed in Japan. Although there are many misconceptions, it is not legally forbidden for a patient to stop treatment of his/her own will and die as a result. In fact, the "Guidelines for the Decision-Making Process of Medical Treatment in the Final Stage of Life" (revised in March 2008) published by the Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare of Japan states, "The decision-making process for medical treatment in the final stage of life...should be based on the patient's own understanding and acceptance of the prognosis and treatment options available to him or her. In fact, the "Guidelines for the Decision-Making Process of Medical Care in the Final Stage of Life" (revised in March 2008) published by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare clearly states that "the decision to discontinue medical treatment or care in the final stage of life...should be made carefully by the medical and care team based on medical appropriateness and appropriateness. (The Guidelines also clearly state that "active euthanasia with the intent to shorten life is not covered by these Guidelines.)

日本でも“認められた安楽死”がある？ 延命と死の自己決定を考える. (n.d.). shiRUto（シルト）. https://shiruto.jp/culture/1175/