Issues of Life and Dignity surrounding Modern Japanese

Women, their Children and Families

A shift in perspective from protecting their families, to preserving their secrets and

selves

Kyoko Sakamoto, Ph.D.

Contents

0. Introduction

1. Baby-Post in Japan

2. Baby-Post in Germany

3. Issues of "New" Family and Life

4. Conclusion

Baby-Post in Japan (1)-- Jikei Hospital (Kumamoto City) --

1898: Established by a Franciscan Order (the Gray Friars)

1978: Transfer of management to the Medical corporation "Seiryu-kai" Private Hospital with 98 beds. Management creed: "Christian love and spiritual commitment to patients and society"

2003: Held the "Lecture of Life" series to share the preciousness of human life with junior and senior high school students

2004: Inspection of the "Babyklappe" in Hamburg and Berlin in Germany by hospital officials

2007 （ May): Opening of "White stork cradle" next to the hospital

2007(September): A total of 6 children (including a three-year-old boy) were left (1 child was returned to his parents).

Baby-Post in Japan (2)-- The spirit of the establishment of "White stork cradle" --

• Many babies have been born and raised at this hospital. We actually feel the benefit of life as a holy gift from God, when we meet every baby and child born here. As our most recent case, a jobless girl of 18 years old killed her newborn and buried it in the garden. Whenever we hear this kind of news, we deeply regret that we could have helped the life of such children and their mothers.

• It is easy for abandoned children to die, but leaving them at a safe place like our "White stork cradle" gives their mothers' hope to help the lives of their children. We want to tell such children, "Your mother trusted us and left you with deep love." (excerpt from the Jikei Hospital website) 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

Guidance of the entrance of "Baby-Post"

Information of the entrance of "Baby-Post"

Jikei Hospital

Entrance of "Baby-Post"

Outside of "Baby-Post"

Inside of "Baby-Post"

Babyklappe in Germany

• Section 218 of the criminal code: Duty to receive counseling on abortion by a specialist

=> It is not possible to undergo abortion without careful consideration of all possible scenarios and those who want to undergo an abortion need a certificate.

1999: Announcement by the pope （ John Paul II) => Most catholic "abortion counseling centers" in Germany will not

issue certificates to clients who want to have an abortion. The announcement goes with the stream of his encyclical "Evangelium Vitae" (1995).

2000: SterniPark e.V. (Hamburg): The Babyklappe was put into place beside the baby care center of the social welfare organization.

=>The activities to help "Mother and child in trouble" spread around the country.

2007: About 90 Babyklappe are installed in hospitals, public and private facilities

SterniPark e.V., Hamburg

SterniPark e.V., Hamburg

SterniPark e.V., Hamburg

St.Josephs Hospital, Berlin

Waldfriede Hospital, Berlin

Issues of "New" Family and Life (1)

-- Aims of Setting Baby-Post -- 1. Protect life and secure the safety of abandoned children => Most Babyklappe in Germany and Baby-Post in Japan have good controlled conditions through current techniques. => If no parent comes forward to claim her/his child, the facility's operator pursues adoption procedures (Germany) or leaves the child in the care of the baby home (Japan).2. Decreases the number of abortions and prevents crime by women such as abandoning or killing their own child => Security for women's anonymity3. Total activities to help "Mother and child in trouble" in many directions => Aside from Baby-Post, many facilities have several consultation services such as for marital problems or for family planning.

Issues of "New" Family and Life (2) "Anonymity (woman/mother)" vs. “Right to know one's

origin (children)"

• Baby-Post is necessary for both women in trouble and their children and is managed in conformity with "the best interests of children" (UN Convention of the Rights of the Child; Article 3).

• What are the best interests of abandoned children? => The anonymity of women is essential to establish a

relationship of trust between women in trouble and the operator of Baby-Post.

• Is there any way to have a confidential relationship other than to guarantee the anonymity of women?

=> "Right to know one's origin" (Article 7) should be guaranteed as far as possible. In the case of emergency, "The right of life" (Article 6) comes first.

• What is one's identity other than origin by blood?

Conclusion-- Social tasks to be cope with in Japan --

1. New approach in education: sexuality, parenting and relationship between man and woman

=> Promoting contraceptive education to avoid backstreet abortion

=> Developing the sense of responsibility in which men and women share parental roles

2. Change the way of thinking on family and identity: Reconsideration of the blood relationship-oriented society that secures parental roots to identity

=> Reevaluate the society as “extended family” including adoption

3. Check the social system: Taking seriously the problems of child abuse and child abandonment in society as a whole and making them the subject of considerable discussion

=> To narrow the economic gap among young people

The Constitution of JapanPromulgated on November 3, 1946Came into effect on May 3, 1947

• Article 24. Marriage shall be based only on the mutual consent of both sexes and it shall be maintained through mutual cooperation with the equal rights of husband and wife as a basis.With regard to choice of spouse, property rights, inheritance, choice of domicile, divorce and other matters pertaining to marriage and the family, laws shall be enacted from the standpoint of individual dignity and the essential equality of the sexes.