Recommended by Unseen Japan staff - get Japanese games translated to English, Japanese language originals, toys, and more!

We've written before about how Japan's foster care system often leaves kids in a lurch. However, a non-profit organization has found that these kids may be missing out on another fundamental service: vaccinations.

The “Wall” Of Parental Permission

In Japan, institutions can be deferential to the wishes of parents to the point of malfeasance. This has been a factor in several high-profile cases of child abuse. (For example, 10-year-old Kurihara Mia died after her father badgered her school and child services officials into releasing her back into his custody.)

Now, the non-profit group Bridge for Smiles has found that that deference exists even when a child's parents aren't around. According to Asahi Shinbun, the group sent surveys out to some 600 foster homes, from which it received 86 responses. Of the responses, 67.5% said that the foster home's director, as a rule, had the authority to make general medical care decisions for the children under their protection. However, only 39.8% of respondents said the same holds true for vaccinations.

https://digital.asahi.com/articles/DA3S14343425.html (JP) Link: Why Are Vaccinations Out for Foster Kids? A Parental Consent Wall & a Management Gap

Guidance set forth by Japan's Ministry of Health and Welfare state that facilities should obtain a blanket permission regarding vaccinations when a child enters a foster home. However, Bridge for Smiles found that some 25% of foster homes were unaware of this guidance. Moreover, only 19.3% of facilities attempted to obtain this blanket permission.

Health Care Limbo

Foster home officials say that their hands are tied. By law, the facilities need to take care that they take no action that interferes with a parent's natural rights.

However, when the parents are nowhere to be found, that leaves some kids stuck. One 21-year-old interviewed for the article recounts how, when he entered high school, he was unable to receive standard vaccinations. His father, an Iranian national, had been deported after an illegal overstay. His mother, a Japanese woman, couldn't be contacted. That left him unable to proceed with key moments in his life – including obtaining a passport or eve sign a mobile phone contract – until he turned 18.

Officials with Bridge for Smiles say they want to eliminate this wall for foster kids. Indeed, in the case of vaccinations, it's not just an issue of individual care, but of public health. The world has seen numerous outbreaks of long-dormant diseases recently due to unfounded fears over vaccinations. One such case happened recently in Japan, when a religious cult caused an outbreak thanks to its anti-vaxxing policies. The last thing the world needs is further dents in herd immunity.

Japan fan? Want more? Join our inner circle today! Become a Patron of Unseen Japan and receive an ad-free site experience, access to our Discord chat server, and other insider treats!