Concerns mount for elderly as fewer Japanese under-40s donate blood

The number of under-40s who have donated blood in Japan in the last decade has declined 33 percent, according to data from the Japanese Red Cross Society, posing a concern as the country’s population rapidly ages.

Despite a partial recovery in donations by teens since the coronavirus pandemic, the Red Cross and health ministry are stepping up efforts to raise awareness, particularly among young people, about the importance of making voluntary blood donations.

In Japan, people aged between 16 and 69 can donate blood. Of the 5.01 million total donations in fiscal 2022, 217,000 were by teens, 696,000 were from those in their 20s and 753,000 in their 30s.

The majority of the donated blood is used in the treatment of people in their 50s and older. The decline in donations by younger generations, if it continues, could pose a serious supply shortage going forward as demand overwhelms the available supply.

The Red Cross partly attributed the decline to the fact fewer high schools are taking part in blood donation campaigns.

The ratio of high schools that took part in the donation program fell to around 20 percent from some 60 percent 30 years ago.

The government in June called for additional efforts to educate teens about blood donation in its annual basic policy on economic and fiscal management.

The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare is considering creating a simple handbook on blood donation to educate students who are not yet eligible on how vital donations are to society, according to officials.

The Red Cross has introduced a smartphone app, where registered members can make blood donation reservations and also earn points that can be exchanged for gifts.

“Many lives are saved by blood donations. We hope to get as many people to cooperate as possible,” a ministry official said.

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