Brain Death In Japan

Death is a concept. Death is a meaning. When people recognize one's death, the one dies. Do you recognize brain death as the end of human life? In Japan, we have a transplant law allowing organ removal from brain-dead patients. But it is very controversial to recognize brain death as human death in Japan. Because patients still breathe.



Breathing is very important factor in the field of philosophy about brain death. "Die" means "死ぬ(しぬ）" in Japanese. Etymologically speaking, しぬ(Shi-nu) is Shi-inu. "Shi" is echo-word of breathing. "inu" means "break away from, leave" in English. Therefore, Shi-nu means "breath breaks away from human body".



Brain-dead patients still inhale and exhale with help from artificial respirators. Even if brain death is human death medicinally, it is not human death culturally. It is said Japanese people who see brain-dead patients can't accept their death as human death emotionally. Even though Japanese understand brain death is human death, the comprehension doesn't harmonize in feeling.



(Of course, there are another reasons brain death become controversial issue. I don't mention about them here because those are not unique to Japan　and, might be, east Asia too.)



Ultimately, I suppose this is an example that Japanese think of life as "person". Put very simply, in western countries, person is an unit of lives. Put very very simply, consciousness is life in Europa. However, this concept is not worldwide. (I use "consciousness" because It's messy to explain precisely, and I'm not sure how to explain philosophical concepts in English.)



Precisely, a Japanese is not a person. I'm not saying a joke. "Person" is just a word used in translation. A Japanese is a 人(hito). Precisely, a "hito" is not a person. Hito is an existence different from person because hito has different meaning from person. I'm not sure what "hito" means originally and precisely, but I'm sure hito is different from person.



"To live" means 生きる(Ikiru) in Japanese. I guess "Ikiru" might be "Iki-iru". "Iki" means breath. "Iru" means "be". Thus, ikiru means "breath is in human body". This is my supposition. I think I should have bought a dictionary of etymology.



(Breath is important concept in India and China too. Breath is a vital factor of life in India too. )



As a matter of logic, an European life is/was given by the God. Even if one is not a Christian, Jews and Islam, basically the logic is same as monotheistic belief's. People deserve dignity because of given person's consciousness. The end of the brain function is the end of human life and the end of dignity of live human being.



In Japan, brain-dead patients may not lose their dignity of live human being. Soul is in brain and also is in other parts too. I'm not sure where soul is in a human body but I'm sure soul is not only in brain in Japan. As long as patients breathes, cells will continue to live, no one can assure brain death is the end of human life.



I know if someone doesn't recognize brain death as human death, the ones can deny to be a donor in America. But I guess those people are not majority. I've read a news that tens of percent of Japanese recognize brain death is human death. But the figure was not majority. Japan introduced legislation toward brain death organ transplant law, and it was passed and has been practiced but people become a donor are rare. And I think this approach to treatment is transitional one. I think Japan should emphasize stem-cell research.



Of course, in the eye of the law, Japanese are people, a Japanese is a person. Person theory and traditional hito-concept(I coined this word now) coexist. But, I think human rights derived from person theory has side effects in Japan "too". I'll write about it later. I wanted to explain a difference between person and hito. That's why I mentioned about brain death in Japan.



I'm glad if you enjoyed reading this blog.



I took the photo at Kitain temple in Kawagoe city. Those are 500 rakans. I suppose three big statues are Buddhas.