The role of the criminal law in the terminal care

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K03361
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Criminal law
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: Saeki Hitosih 東京大学, 大学院法学政治学研究科(法学部), 教授 (10134438)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: 刑法 / 医事刑法 / 安楽死 / 尊厳死 / 臨死介助 / 治療中止

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In Japan, as the aging society, medical treatment and care at the end of life have become an important problem, and the problems of euthanasia, death with dignity and the termination of treatment are also becoming more important. Japanese precedents have allowed positive euthanasia, but there have been no cases actually recognized. Though the supreme court has admitted the termination of treatment at the end of life, detail is left to future guidelines or legislation. Countries legalizing the medical assistance in dying have been increasing, most recently, several states of the United States, Canada, Victoria state of Australia. In Japan, there is little possibility that the medical assistance in dying will be legalized in the near future. However, when such legislation is considered, these comparative law knowledge will be useful. In particular, the Canadian example contains important suggestions for the cooperation between judiciary and legislator.

Free Research Field

刑事法

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

安楽死・尊厳死・治療中止の問題（最近では医療臨死介助と呼ばれている）について、日本の判例、行政ガイドラインなどの状況を明らかにするとともに、諸外国、特に、近時、医療臨死介助の合法化を行ったアメリカ合衆国の諸州、カナダ、オーストラリアのヴィクトリア州の状況を明らかにした。日本で、近い将来に医療臨死介助が合法化される可能性は少ないが、立法するとすれば、これらの比較法的知見は有益である。特に、カナダの例は、司法と立法の協働にとって重要な示唆を含んでいる。