Japan Enacts Bill to Regulate Gene-Edited "Designer Babies"

Tokyo, July 17 (Jiji Press)--Japan's parliament Friday passed into law a bill designed to prevent the birth of genetically edited "designer babies" whose appearance and other characteristics would be altered according to their parents' preferences.

The law prohibits the implantation of genome-edited fertilized eggs into the wombs of humans or animals. Penalties of up to 10 years in prison or a fine of up to 10 million yen, or both, will be imposed on those who violate the law.

The bill was approved at a plenary meeting of the House of Councillors, the upper chamber of the Diet, the country's parliament, following its passage in the House of Representatives, the lower chamber, on June 16.

The law covers embryos made using sperm and eggs produced from induced pluripotent stem, or iPS, cells and embryonic stem, or ES, cells, in addition to genome-edited fertilized eggs.

Meanwhile, basic research aimed at clarifying the mechanism of a disease and developing treatments is not prohibited. The law obliges researchers to submit plans to the central government and limits the start of research for 60 days after submission. If the plan is found to be inappropriate, the central government can order its suspension or modification.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]