Purpose

Life science technology makes the impossible possible. This also includes surrogacy practices and surrogacy conducts. However, all that is possible should not necessarily be done in our society.

Surrogacy presents the risk of depriving ourselves, our families, close friends of health, but how can this risk be justified? Surrogacy is an act of deciding parents by contract, but for the child born, would the contract parents be their real parents? Also, could one give a child or baby, a human being born from one’s own body to a stranger? Do we want a society in which the connection between parent and child is determined by a contract of will?

In reality, many problems have already come up. Several surveys have pointed out that low-income women are the ones taking on surrogacy and childbirth, and predict that if surrogacy and birth were to become widespread, it would be established as a method of exploiting the human body. Actually, there are cases of women in developing countries taking birth requests from people in developed countries in order to earn their living expenses. In addition, there are cases where clients have sought cheaper surrogates and asked for women in poorer countries.

There would be no fewer problems in countries and regions that only allow surrogacy free of charge. Women are not incubators, but are, instead, humans with one integrated body. Even though it was believed to be evenly divisible in the beginning, voices of anguish have been raised from those who have actually experienced it. Within the United States, those who have chosen to believe that a surrogate birth is a good deed for an infertile couple, have found themselves with regret and have sided with the movement towards prohibition.

However, are we fully aware of these problems? Media influences public opinion. Do reports, which have called the good word to mankind to focus on the troubles of infertile couples, have no influence on our ideas? When a positive opinion is discussed, are the issues for the birthing party, such as the conflict of living beings or the suffering of their families that come with this recognized? Is it possible for people to understand this act fully as good, even if light cast on these aspects which are often left out by the press?

Regarding surrogate birth, Japan’s discussions, such as physicalization of the body and hierarchy of life, as well as problems in the field of natural science and law, which have been pointed out at the Science Council of Japan in the past, have not been fully discussed, taking into account social ethical aspects, and so with many people sharing problem awareness, we question the position of surrogacy. Through that work, we and our devoted people are aiming for a society In which we can live with peace of mind of knowing we will not use our bodies for others and others will not use our bodies for them.