[The financial status and organization of the organ transplant system in Japan]

The Japan Organ Transplant Network is the only organization in Japan that maintains a waiting list for organ transplants and also functions as a procurement agency recovering organs. The yearly budget of fiscal year 2009 is 692 million Japanese yen, 74% from government funding, and the rest from transplant center membership fees, potential recipient registration fees, transplant recipient coordination fees, and contributions. The registration fee is 30,000 yen for the first year, and 5,000 yen for every following year. The patient is also charged a coordination fee of 100,000 yen when receiving a transplant. As it becomes difficult to rely on government funding, we must discuss about the balance of funding from government and the expenses of the beneficiaries.