Blood Donation Day

What Is Blood Donation Day?

Every August 21st is "Blood Donation Day" (献血記念日, Kenketsu Kinenbi) in Japan. On August 21, 1964, Japan officially abolished the system of paid blood donation (売血制度, baiketsu seido) — under which people sold their blood for compensation — and transitioned to a voluntary, unpaid blood donation system (献血制度, kenketsu seido). The change was prompted by serious concerns about the safety of blood products derived from paid donors, who were often impoverished people who sold blood repeatedly, resulting in blood of poor quality that transmitted hepatitis and other diseases to transfusion recipients.

The Problems of Paid Blood

Japan's postwar paid blood system had created what critics called a "yellow blood" problem — blood from frequently donating paid donors that had high bilirubin levels due to their poor health status and appeared yellow rather than red. Such blood was linked to numerous hepatitis transmissions in transfusion patients. International pressure, including from the World Health Organization, and domestic medical community advocacy pushed Japan toward the voluntary system that blood safety requires.

Japan's Blood Donation System Today

Japan's current blood donation system, administered by the Japanese Red Cross Society (日本赤十字社), collects blood entirely through voluntary unpaid donations. Blood donation centers (献血ルーム, kenketsu rūmu) and mobile donation vehicles operate throughout Japan, collecting whole blood, plasma, and platelet components. Japan collects approximately 5 million units of blood products annually — sufficient for domestic medical needs but requiring sustained public participation. Special campaigns target younger donors, whose participation is essential to maintaining the blood supply as Japan's population ages.

Blood Donation Culture

Japan has developed a strong blood donation culture, supported by the Japanese Red Cross's extensive public awareness programs, corporate blood drives, and community campaigns. Regular donors receive recognition for their commitment, and many Japanese people donate blood as a routine act of civic contribution — motivated by the knowledge that blood products are essential for surgical patients, accident victims, cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, and many other medical needs that cannot be met without donated blood.

Fun Facts

• Donation eligibility: Japan's blood donation eligibility requirements include age limits (16-69 for whole blood, with different limits for components), hemoglobin thresholds, and health screening — all designed to protect both donor safety and recipient blood quality.
• Blood type culture: Japan has an unusual cultural phenomenon of "blood type personality" (血液型性格分類, ketsueki-gata seikaku bunrui) — the widespread popular belief that blood type (A, B, O, AB) determines personality characteristics. While scientifically unsubstantiated, this belief is deeply embedded in Japanese popular culture and affects everything from personnel decisions to romantic compatibility assessments.