Japan has one of the lowest infant mortality rates in the world, with only 2.8 deaths per 1,000 live births, and these figures reflect a very high level of care throughout pregnancy and birth. There is no requirement to see the obstetrician at the hospital you plan to give birth in, and when it comes time to deliver, most hospitals work on an ‘on-call’ system so you can’t be sure which doctor will be at the birth.