Tokyo’s San-Ikukai Hospital reports that its baby hatch program is saving lives and offering safe, anonymous births. The baby hatch has been accepting newborns every two to three weeks since it opened six months ago. This system allows parents who cannot raise their babies to leave them safely at the hospital. The hospital also supports secret births, where mothers’ identities remain confidential among limited staff.
The baby hatch, also called the “baby basket” or “Inochi no basuketto” (basket of life), provides a safe space for newborns up to four weeks old. Mothers can leave their babies without direct contact with hospital staff, ensuring anonymity. Hospital director Hitoshi Kato, 68, emphasizes the importance of this service for saving lives and helping mothers in crisis.
San-Ikukai Hospital became Japan’s second medical institution to open a baby hatch, following Jikei Hospital in Kumamoto City. Since its establishment on March 31, the hospital has also accepted women requesting secret deliveries. These anonymous deliveries let women give birth without revealing their identities widely, reducing isolation and risk.
Kato noted many women who use the baby hatch or secret delivery system feel trapped, unable to seek support during pregnancy. “We have truly saved lives by starting this service,” he said. Hospital staff report that all babies left at the baby hatch have been healthy.
When a baby is left at the hatch, the police first check for any criminal concerns. Then, Tokyo’s Koto Child Guidance Office places the child in temporary care before transferring them to a welfare facility. The local Sumida Ward Office handles registration and citizenship procedures.
The hospital collaborates closely with local authorities and police, preparing for these cases over the past two years. Officials recognize the hospital cannot care for these children alone and will continue managing cases jointly.
Although many women inquire about secret deliveries, only about 10% follow through. Hospital staff carefully evaluate each request, considering the mother’s circumstances. Since starting the secret delivery program, staff encountered many women arriving in labor without prior prenatal care.
In 2022, the government directed hospitals to respect children’s rights to know their family origins. It also asked for permanent storage of mothers’ personal information from secret births. Despite this, managing such sensitive information remains challenging for the hospital.
Kato urges lawmakers to create a legal framework for handling the personal data of children born anonymously. He argues that public authorities, not hospitals, should control this information. The hospital’s priority remains to provide safe deliveries and protect vulnerable mothers and babies. The baby hatch at San-Ikukai Hospital highlights an important social initiative in Tokyo. It provides a lifeline for babies and mothers facing difficult circumstances. Experts hope legal reforms will soon support this vital work and improve protections for children born in secret.
