Japanese Culture Essay

AbstractIt is important to con fountr that an case-by-cases perspective of wipeout and dying is greatly wedged by their culture. In this paper I go forth discuss how the lacquerese culture approaches death and dying. I get out also discuss the bizarre invention of reed organ transplantation that surrounds that Nipponese culture. This paper presents the rightfulness of organ transplantation in japan, which allows people to decide whether question death ass be used to determine their death in agreement with their family. lacquer could develop a unique ex angstrom unitle of unmarried choice in the explanation of death if the righteousness is revised to allow individuals choose definition of death independently of their family. The death and dying rituals involved in the japanese culture get out be discussed.Overview of the Japanese coatingIn the last mentioned half of the twentieth one C, developed countries of the world have made unusual strides in organ donatio n and transplantation. However, in this bea of medicine, Japan has been slack off to follow. Japanese ethics, deeply rooted in religion and tradition, have bear upon their outlook on life and death. The Japanese have only late started to acknowledge the concept of wizard death and transplantation of major variety meat has been hindered in that country. Currently, there is a dual definition of death in Japan, intended to satisfy nigh(prenominal) sides of the issue. This interesting paradox, which still stands to be amply resolved, illustrates the controversial conflict between medical ethics and medical proficiency in Japan.The Japanese culture considers a human being both alive and un prepareed, an integrated dead body, mind, and spirit (Dennis, 2009, p.12). thus removing an organ from a superstar-dead someone involves a disturbance in this natural integrated unit. In the Japanese culture organ donation and organ transplantation ar less-traveled and r are (Dennis, 20 09). According to Dennis (2009), the Japanese culture believes that a dead body must remain whole because if they are non whole, that dead psyche willing be unhappy in the next world.Japanese Culture on Death and DyingIt is crucial to understand that an individuals perspective of death and dying is greatly impacted by their culture. Japan is the only country, which permits individual choice in death definition for the place of organ transplantation, and in agreement with the persons family. The Japanese organ transplantation natural law of 1997 is a long debate on brain death and organ transplantation. Over almost iii decades, medical, legal and cosmos discussion has occurred a lack of consensus on the definition of human death caused a long delay in adopting a law on organ procurement (Akabayashi, 1997). Finally, policy makers in Japan have follow a law with unique features, such as giving an fortune to individuals to choose the definition of death establish on their own vi ews. Therefore, in Japan individuals may choose either cessation of cardiorespiratory scarper or loss of entire brain function for their death authorisation (Morioka, 2001).However, the choice is permitted in Japanese law only if organs gage potentially be used for transplant with the agreement of the family, which means that although individuals crapper choose the definition of death based on their own views, the law gives position to the family to confirm or reject the choice. The law allows the family to override the individual choice in death definition (Akabayashi, 1997). The first effort to drop down a law on organ transplantation following brain death failed in 1994. The main reason why the proposed law was spurned in 1994 is said to be because it conjure upd that brain death is couple to death, and also because it approved surrogate decision making by the family. These issues brocaded serious arguments and concerns among some members, resulting in defeat of the leg islation (Akabayashi, 1997). However, the situation has changed since thence and, as public polls show, the number of people who accept the concept of brain death has increased from 29% to 60%. (Lock, 1996).The current law states that for organ removal, the sponsors prior declaration and family agreement are both necessary requirements (Japan Ministry of Health Labor and Welfare, 1997). The organ donation eatable of the law apply for brain dead donors as well as any cadaver. The law pass alongs organ removal from a braindead person only if the donor has, during his life expressed in write his consent to the diagnosis of brain death, as well as, his intention to present his organ(s). Therefore, the law authorizes individuals to choose between the handed-down definition or the substitute standard based on brain function by write an harmonium Donation Decision Card. Individuals behind state their wishes at the back of this card by marking one of the following items (1) I wis h to be a donor based on the brainoriented definition (2) I want to be a donor after cardiac death or (3) I refuse to gift organs (Bagheri, 2003).The law is not free of criticism, especially in price of adopting a double standard regarding the role of the family. On the one hand, it gives the family the advocator to veto an individuals willingness to donate. On the other hand, it does not authorize the family to be a surrogate decision maker based on the interests of their beloved ones when they are in a braindead state and the organ donor card cannot be found. Nevertheless, the unbalanced role and power of veto of the family under the present law can be seen as a hindrance to organ procurement in Japan (Bagheri, 2003). The touch on of dying is regarded not as an individual event but as a family event in the Japanese culture (Kimura, 1998).There is no doubt that any transplantrelated legislation should be bear on with inclusion of the opinion of the family in the decisionmaking process. This forms a instauration for social acceptance of the legislation. However, in any culture a serviceable question arises to what extent is the familys opinion to be taken into circumstance? According to the law, family consent is required both for organ procurement and for declaration of death according to brainbased criteria. Therefore an individual can choose the definition of death with the agreement of her or his family, but not independently (Kimura, 1998). Japan is the only country that allows individuals to choose either the traditional definition or the brainoriented definition of death, but individual choice must be confirmed by the family therefore, it is a family based choice (Kimura, 1998).Death and Dying Rituals in the Japanese CultureA Japanese funeral includes a wake, the cremation of the deceased person, a burial in a family life-threatening, and a periodic memorial service. According to statistics, 99.82% of all deceased Japanese are cremated. While t he ashes of many are buried in family graves, the scattering of ashes has become more common in recent years, including a burial at sea (Wakabayashi & Sekiguchi, 2011). Many funeral services are carried out in the form of Buddhist ceremonies. After a person has died, their lips are moistened with water, in a ceremony referred to as Matsugo-no-mizu Water of the last moment (Wakabayashi, & Sekiguchi, 2011). The household shrine is closed and covered with a white paper, to nurture out impure spirits. This process is known as Kamidana-fuji. A humble table position beside the deceaseds bed is also grace with flowers, incense, and a candle. A knife may placed on the dressing table of the deceased to drive away evil spirit (Wakabayashi & Sekiguchi, 2011).Funeral arrangements are made and the body is washed and the orifices are blocked with cotton or gauze. The funeral clothing will consist of either a suit for a male or a kimono if the deceased is a female. Makeup may also be applied in order to improve the way of the body. The body is then put on dry ice and placed inside the casket with the head positioned towards the north or west, along with a white kimono, sandals and six coins for the crossing of the River of three hells. Items which the deceased was fond of will also be placed inside the casket as well, so long as they are flammable. The casket is then placed on the altar in preparation of the wake (Nakata, 2009). Guests who attend the funeral are judge to dress in saturnine attire. The men usually dig subdued suits with a white shirt and a raw tie, while women wear either a black dress or a black kimono. A Buddhist prayer bead called juzu may also be carried by guests. Guests are expected to bring condolence money in a special black and silver beautify envelope. At the funeral, the guests will be seated, with the next of kin next to the face up man.The Buddhist priest will read a sutra. The family members will each in turn wisecrack i ncense three times to the incense urn in front of the deceased. The closest relatives may stay and keep vigil with the deceased overnight in the analogous room (Nakata, 2009). Japanese funerals are usually performed on the solar day following the wake. The funeral service is similar to that of the wake service, the difference being that during the funeral service, the deceased will receive a new Buddhist name to hamper the return of the deceased if their name is called. At the end of the ceremony, flowers may be placed inside the casket before it is sealed and carried to an elaborately decorated hearse where it is transported to the crematorium. In some regions of Japan, the casket may be nailed shut by mourners using a stone (Wakabayashi & Sekiguchi, 2011). Once the casket has arrived at the crematorium, the family witnesses the sliding of the body into the cremation chamber, then leave.After the cremation process is complete, the family returns to pick the hit the books out of the ashes and transfer them to an urn using chopsticks. In some instances, two family members will hold the same bone at the same time with their chopsticks or pass the bones from chopsticks to chopsticks. According to Japanese custom, this is the only time when it is straightlaced for two people to hold the same item at the same time with chopsticks. The bones are picked up and transferred to the urn in a style which ensures that the deceased is not placed upside down in the urn. Therefore the bones of the feet are picked up first, the bones of the head last (Nakata, 2009). A typical Japanese grave is usually a family grave consisting of a stone monument with a place for flowers, incense, and water in front of the monument and a chamber underneath for the ashes.The date of the formation of the grave and the name of the person who purchased it may be engraved on the side of the monument. The names of the deceased may or may not be engraved on the front or left side of the mon ument or on a separate stone in front of the grave Nakata, 2009). The Japanese honor the dead with shrines in their homes and tending to the gravesite (Dennis, 2009). During three days in August, the Japanese Buddhist celebrate at The Bons fiesta in honor of the departed spirits of ones ancestors (Dennis, 2009). Until the early twentieth century most bodies were buried and cremation was limited to the wealthy. Cremation became more common after introduction War II due to its efficiency and cleanliness. In 2009, 99.9% of Japanese bodies were cremated, and some local governments ban burials (Wakabayashi & Sekiguchi, 2011).ConclusionI learned a lot about the Japanese culture while researching my paper. One of the things that I found surprising was that the majority of Japanese bodies are cremated. The similarities that I found between the American and the Japanese culture are that both cultures were black to funerals. In both cultures items that are valuable are placed in the cask ets and funerals are followed by the wake. While cremation is popular in Japan, I was impress to learn that cremation is on the rise in the United States however, not everyone approves of it (Dennis, 2009).ReferencesAkabayashi A (1997). Japans parliament passes brain death law. The Lancet, 349 (9069). Retrieved from http//www.lancet.com. doi10.1016/S0140-6736(05)63895-0. Bagheri A. (2003). A criticism of brain death policy in Japan. Kennedy Institute of ethical motive Journal 13 (4), 359-372.Dennis, D. (2009) Living, Dying, Grieving. Sandbury, MA Jones and Barlett Publislhers. Japan Ministry of Health Labor and Welfare, The law concerning human organ transplants The law no. 104 1997. Translation 1999.Kimura R. (1998). Death, dying and come near directives in Japan sociocultural and legal points of view. In Sass HM, Veatch RM, Rihito K, eds. invoke directives and surrogate decision making in health care. Baltimore Johns Hopkins University Lock M. (1996). pestilential dispute ideo logies and brain death in Japan. In Stuart J, Youngner Laurence J, OConnell Renee C, eds. Organ transplantation meaning and realities. Fox. Madison University of Wisconsin Press. Morioka M. (2001). Reconsidering brain death a lesson from Japans fifteen years experience. Hastings Center Report 31, (4), 41-46.Nakata, H. (2009). The Japan Times. Japans funerals deep-rotted mix of ritual, form. Retrieved from http//www.japantimes.co.jp/text/nn20090728i1.html.Wakabayashi, D., & Sekiguchi, T. (2011). After Flood, Deaths discomfit Ritual. Wall Street Journal.