In Japan, the question of abortion is shaped by a unique moral and cultural synthesis involving Buddhism, Confucianism, Shintō, and secular modernity. While classical Buddhist ethics opposes the taking of life from conception, the ethical attitudes of Japanese Buddhists are influenced by broader societal values, resulting in a more permissive and ritualized approach to abortion.
After Japan’s defeat in World War II, a significant baby boom occurred. With returning soldiers and post-war economic hardship, fears of overpopulation and the dangers of illegal abortions prompted legislative action. In 1948, the government passed the Eugenic Protection Law, which legalized abortion within the first five months on various grounds, including the mental and physical health of the mother. Later amendments expanded legal justification to economic hardship, eventually giving doctors full discretion without needing to report to any authority .
This made Japan home to one of the most liberal abortion systems in the world. Although abortion on demand was technically illegal, it became easily accessible and the most common form of birth control. Abortion became socially tolerated and widely practiced, especially in the decades following the war .
Yet, abortion in Japan is not morally trivialized. Instead, it is surrounded by profound emotional and spiritual engagement, often expressed through the unique Buddhist ritual known as mizuko kuyō — the “water child ceremony.” This ritual offers a way for women (and their partners) to acknowledge the life of the unborn, express sorrow, seek spiritual reconciliation, and dedicate merit to the short-lived being. Temples provide statues of the bodhisattva Jizō, protector of children and the unborn, as spiritual guardians of aborted foetuses .
Ethical attitudes in Japan are further influenced by Confucian emphasis on family and social harmony, Shintō concerns with ritual purity, and modern secular values. Thus, while abortion is seen as regrettable, it is not heavily stigmatized, and healing rather than judgment tends to be the focus. The idea is not to deny the karmic implications of abortion, but to respond with compassion and spiritual responsibility.
Overall, Japan represents a distinctive model in Buddhist cultures: a society where abortion is legally and socially accepted, yet still spiritually addressed. Through rituals like mizuko kuyō, Japanese Buddhism seeks to ritualize remorse, honor life, and foster a sense of ongoing connection between the living and the unborn.