Japan sperm donor case: A Japanese man offering sperm donation through both sexual intercourse and artificial insemination has sparked debate online after claiming he has already helped seven women become pregnant. The 38-year-old donor, using the nickname Hajime, is from Osaka and is an office worker, according to The South China Morning Post. He claims to have started this peculiar mission five years back when one of his close friends in university requested him to sleep with his wife because they couldn't conceive. On first hesitation, Hajime consented, and the couple eventually welcomed a baby. That initial experience, he claims, motivated him to assist others with such problems.

Although initially hoping to assist straight couples with infertility, Hajime reports that the majority of his clients were same-sex partners and single women who hoped to have children without marrying. Today, Japan limits fertility treatments like IVF and artificial insemination for unmarried individuals and gay couples, providing few alternatives for them. To them, Hajime's service provided what they described as a "simpler hope.". He said he has had more than 20 requests to date, of which seven are proven pregnancies, and four of them were successful births. He has two choices, "natural insemination" by way of sexual intercourse or artificial insemination with his sperm. Hajime maintains that his job is driven not by financial reward but by the "pleasure and satisfaction" of watching clients become pregnant. "When I witness clients becoming pregnant and giving birth, I feel very satisfied, as if I have done something for society," he said in an interview with local media.

Legal Grey Area In Japan

In Japan, private sperm donation is now a gray area in terms of the law. Men are free to advertise sperm donation services online and donate sperm privately without breaking any regulations. Though the lack of regulation could pose future legal or medical risks, particularly concerning child custody, health checks, and potential inadvertent marriages between half-siblings.

Hajime regularly posts the results of his infectious disease tests online to reassure clients, even though they cost roughly 11,700 yen (USD 80). For credibility, he also shows his university degree. In contrast to sperm banks, he merely asks for travel reimbursement and does not charge for the actual donation. In addition to not signing any contracts, he emphasizes that he has no financial or paternal obligations to the children. His social media profile, opened to connect with someone anonymously, is now being used by women to get in touch with him. Chinese netizens responded robustly to the story, with some cautioning about danger involving unregistered donations, while others contended that legislation needs to adapt to current social demands.

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Similar Cases Reported In The UK

Unregulated sperm donation is not unique to Japan. In the United Kingdom, women unable to access NHS fertility treatment often turn to social media platforms such as Facebook to find donors. According to a BBC report, to collect sperm samples, women have reportedly met donors in parking lots or even restrooms, while others have been forced to choose intercourse over artificial insemination. The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has warned that unregulated donation poses health threats and can bring legal issues to women and children.

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Despite this, with cases such as his becoming more prominent, questions are being raised in Japan and beyond whether governments must regulate private sperm donation, reduce the prices of fertility treatments, and offer safer legal options for those seeking alternative routes to parenthood.