JAPAN · JAPAN MARROW DONOR PROGRAM
Become a bone marrow donor in Japan
For people who live in Japan. Live somewhere else? Find your country.
If you live in Japan, you can join Japan Marrow Donor Program from age 18 to 54. JMDP registration takes about 15 minutes when the registration window is not busy and uses a 2 ml blood sample. Registration itself is free, but you pay your own travel costs to register. 2 9 Checked .
| Place | Japan (日本) 12 |
|---|---|
| Region | Eastern Asia, Asia 10 |
| Population | About 124.4 million (2023) 11 |
| Registry | Japan Marrow Donor Program 3–6 |
| Who can join | Ages 18 to 54, listed until your 55th birthdayJMDP asks that you are 18 to 54 and in good health, weigh at least 45 kg (men) or 40 kg (women), and understand what donating involves. Ask JMDP about nationality or residence requirements for your circumstances; its donor information is provided in Japanese. 1 9 |
| How you sign up | JMDP’s steps are to read its booklet “Chance”, take the application form to a registration window such as a blood donation room or public health center, and give 2 ml of blood. JMDP says its mailed registration confirmation usually arrives in two to three weeks but can take more than a month. 2 3 |
| Cost | JMDP registration itself is free, but travel to register is self-funded. Its trial of signing up by cheek swab has closed after reaching its planned number of applicants; JMDP says it will announce when swab registration starts for everyone. 2 7 9 |
| Checked | |
| Next check |
Bone marrow registries are also called stem cell registries.
Who runs the bone marrow donor registry in Japan?
How do I join in Japan?
Japan Marrow Donor Program
Japan Marrow Donor Program is a nonprofit organization.
18–54years old to join
- Who it’s for
- People who live in Japan, aged 18 to 54.
- Language
- Japanese
Why this one first Japan’s national registry: register in Japanese at about 357 registration windows, mostly Red Cross blood centres (18–54).
Link checked Read the registry’s rules (opens in a new tab)
For patients and families
Japan Marrow Donor Program
Japan Marrow Donor Program is a nonprofit organization.
- Languages
- Japanese and English
Who can join in Japan?
Japan and the world’s donor search
JMDP’s provisional figures show 566,967 registered donors at the end of September 2026, after 30,439 new registrations in the year to March 2026. 6
JMDP says that in the year to March 2026, 1,920 patients in Japan were waiting for an unrelated-donor transplant and 1,035 transplants were done, about one for every two patients. 8
What happens after I join?
Questions about joining in Japan
Can I join if I’m not a citizen of Japan?
JMDP asks that you are 18 to 54 and in good health, weigh at least 45 kg (men) or 40 kg (women), and understand what donating involves. Ask JMDP about nationality or residence requirements for your circumstances; its donor information is provided in Japanese. 1 9
How do I sign up in Japan: online, by kit or in person?
JMDP’s steps are to read its booklet “Chance”, take the application form to a registration window such as a blood donation room or public health center, and give 2 ml of blood. JMDP says its mailed registration confirmation usually arrives in two to three weeks but can take more than a month. 2 3
Does it cost anything to join in Japan?
JMDP registration itself is free, but travel to register is self-funded. Its trial of signing up by cheek swab has closed after reaching its planned number of applicants; JMDP says it will announce when swab registration starts for everyone. 2 7 9
How old do you have to be to join Japan Marrow Donor Program?
Japan Marrow Donor Program signs up people aged 18 to 54. It keeps you listed until your 55th birthday. 1
Is Japan Marrow Donor Program part of the international donor search?
Yes. Japan Marrow Donor Program is a member of the World Marrow Donor Association.
About donating: Does it hurt?, How donation works and Recovery.
Registries
- Japan Marrow Donor Program (日本骨髄バンク). ドナー登録できる方の条件 (Who can register).
- Japan Marrow Donor Program. ドナー登録の方法 (How to register). Checked
- Japan Marrow Donor Program. 登録受付窓口 (Registration windows).
- Japan Marrow Donor Program. 日本骨髄バンクの概要 (Overview and division of roles).
- Japan Marrow Donor Program. 法人情報 (Corporate information).
- Japan Marrow Donor Program. 骨髄バンク事業の現状（2026年9月末現在）【速報値】 (Status at end September 2026, provisional). Updated Sep 30, 2026. Checked
- Japan Marrow Donor Program. スワブ登録 (Swab registration trial).
- Japan Marrow Donor Program. 数字でみる骨髄バンク (JMDP in numbers).
- Japan Marrow Donor Program. Q&A ドナー登録について (Donor registration questions). Checked
Figures and lists
- United Nations Statistics Division. Standard country or area codes for statistical use (M49): Overview (English table).
- UN DESA Population Division. World Population Prospects 2024: Total population by sex (CSV).
Other sources
- Unicode CLDR. By-Type Chart: Locale Display Names:Territories (Asia). Checked