The new bill on the organ transplant was passed by the lower house in Japan. The bill has been sent to the upper house for approval. The new bill, if approved by upper house would lift the ban on child organ donations. Patients aged under 15 would be allowed to receive life-saving transplants.

Organ transplant for children is banned in Japan. This ban has claimed lives of thousands of children in need of transplants. Sometimes families had to send children overseas to receive transplant.

The new bill also aims to relax tough rules regarding organ transplant. Present rules of organ transplant require prior written consent by donors to having their organs harvested when they are brain dead along with approval of the family.

The amended bill would scrap the need for prior consent, unless the person explicitly objected in advance to having their organs used but permission of family members will be required. The bill will also recognize patients who are brain dead as legally dead.