July is "Love Blood Donation Campaign" Month

▲ "Love Blood Donation Campaign" Month Poster

The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, prefectural governments, and the Japanese Red Cross Society will be conducting the "Love Blood Donation Campaign" nationwide for one month from July 1 to July 31.

During this period, we will conduct blood donation awareness activities through various events and campaigns in cooperation with volunteer organizations and others.

▲ Blood Donation Character "Kenketsu-chan" (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare)

What is blood donation...

Blood donation is a volunteer act where healthy individuals provide their blood free of charge for patients who need "transfusions" or "plasma-derived medicinal products" for medical treatment or surgery.

*Transfusion is... a treatment method to supplement red blood cells, platelets, etc., when their function declines or their quantity decreases. *Plasma-derived medicinal products are... proteins such as blood coagulation factors, immunoglobulins, and albumin contained in plasma, which have been extracted and purified.

Reasons why blood donation is necessary

Blood used for transfusions cannot be stored for long periods, and there are no artificial substitutes. Furthermore, in recent years, the demand for immunoglobulin preparations, one of the "plasma-derived medicinal products" made from blood, has increased rapidly. Therefore, to secure the blood needed for transfusions and other purposes, continuous cooperation with blood donation is necessary, without concentration in any particular period.

Understanding and cooperation from younger generations is especially needed for blood donation.

▲ Source: "The Form of Love: Blood Donation" April 2026 (Reiwa 8), 31st Edition

Many of the transfusion blood products and plasma-derived medicinal products supported by blood donation are used in the medical care of the elderly, with approximately 88% of transfusion blood products used by individuals aged 50 and over.

On the other hand, approximately 53% of current blood donors are under 50 years old. This generation not only supports current transfusion medicine but also plays a vital role in its future.

The number of blood donors in their 40s, in addition to the younger generation (10s-30s), is on a declining trend. As Japan's declining birthrate and aging population continue to progress, there is a risk of hindering stable future supply.

Blood cannot be stored for long periods, so it is necessary to secure sufficient blood for transfusions to ensure a stable supply to medical institutions. For future stable supply, understanding and cooperation from younger generations for blood donation is indispensable.

Various campaigns are being held at blood donation sites in each Red Cross Blood Center in the Kanto-Koshinetsu region.

As a token of our gratitude to those who cooperate with blood donation, we are presenting commemorative gifts. For details, please visit the website of each Red Cross Blood Center.

▲ Kanto-Koshinetsu Block

▶▶ Ibaraki Red Cross Blood Center ▶▶ Tochigi Red Cross Blood Center

▶▶ Gunma Red Cross Blood Center

▶▶ Saitama Red Cross Blood Center

▶▶ Chiba Red Cross Blood Center

▶▶ Tokyo Red Cross Blood Center

▶▶ Kanagawa Red Cross Blood Center

▶▶ Niigata Red Cross Blood Center

▶▶ Yamanashi Red Cross Blood Center

▶▶ Nagano Red Cross Blood Center

▶▶ Kanto-Koshinetsu Block Blood Center

● Messages of thanks from those whose lives have been supported by transfusions can be found here ● The Blood Donation Web Member Service "L-abrad" can be found here ● The Japanese Red Cross Society (Blood Services) can be found here

● The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare ("Love Blood Donation Campaign" Month) can be found here