Introduction: Organ donation rates in Japan remain among the lowest globally. Previous research suggests that cultural beliefs, limited public awareness, understanding of brain death, and the role of families in consent decisions may shape attitudes toward donation in Japan. However, these factors are not yet well understood, particularly among the younger population. This study aims to investigate Japanese university students’ knowledge and attitudes toward organ donation and transplantation using a standardized international survey, enabling future cross-cultural comparisons.
Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among students from health sciences and other disciplines at five universities across Japan using the International Student Survey about Knowledge and Attitudes toward Donation and Transplantation of Organs/Body Parts (ISSATO) via SurveyMonkey©. The survey includes 36 items exploring (a) personal experiences with organ donation and transplantation, (b) willingness to donate or receive an organ, (c) knowledge and opinions about Japan's legal and ethical frameworks for organ donation, including consent systems and the role of family, and (d) conceptual beliefs about the human body and brain death.
Results: Preliminary findings from 111 respondents are reported here (data collection ongoing). The majority of participants (84.7%) did not have previous experience with relatives or friends as donors or recipients. Regarding the willingness to donate, 49.5 % of participants hesitated whether or not they would like to be donors, 42.3% indicated their intention to donate organs after death, and 8.1% opposed being a donor. The main reason given by students who agree to be donors is to help other people (92.8%), followed by the fact that it is a medical advance (67.6%) and that it gives sense to their death (55.9%). For those who oppose being a donor, the main reason was because it can be a distress for their family (71.2%). Regarding knowledge, Japan's current consent system is opt-in, with 85.6% correctly identifying it. However, a majority of participants (62.2%) considered they didn't have enough information about organ donation. Regarding the concept of the body, 81.1% believed that the human body is more than the sum of its parts and that individual parts are not always replaceable. 90.0% identified the brain as an organ essential for a person's identity or personality, followed by the heart (51.4%).
Conclusion: This study provides valuable insights into the knowledge and attitudes of Japanese university students toward organ donation, highlighting areas of misinformation and cultural influences. By using an internationally validated instrument, the findings can inform future comparisons with European student populations. These insights may guide targeted educational initiatives and policy discussions aimed at improving organ donation rates in Japan.