End Of Life Decision Making in East Asia

End-of-Life Decision-Making in East Asia: Legal Challenges, Cultural Norms, and Advance Planning explores how cultural values, legal frameworks, and policy developments shape end-of-life decision-making in Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and Singapore. As medical interventions extend life, questions around who should make decisions-and how-become increasingly urgent. Focusing on advance directives (ADs) and advance care planning (ACP), the book examines tensions between personal autonomy and familial responsibility. Drawing on legal cases, policy shifts, and cultural practices, it reveals diverse national approaches and underlying ethical concerns.Developed through a collaborative network of scholars from East Asia, Australia, Italy, and Scotland, this volume offers comparative insights and broader international context. Essential reading for policymakers, healthcare professionals, and scholars of medical law and bioethics, the book advocates for approaches that harmonize individual rights with cultural and familial realities. It is also a valuable guide for individuals concerned with their own or loved ones' choices at the end of life.