Japan starts trial sales of over-the-counter 'morning-after' pill

I can’t see why they have to make it so hard for women to have access to this.

Japan leaps into the 20th century.

The price was set between 7,000-9,000 yen.

In reality, for those who need access to this, a small price to pay. BUT it should be covered by insurance, and available on demand!

Finally - into the modern world, but only sort of. Ridiculous that you have to be 18+ to purchase. The trial size is too small. The price is too high.

Seems like the authorities are trying to make this as difficult as possible for something that should be SO easy to obtain, and indeed is elsewhere.

Japan leaps into the 20th century.

More like very slowly creeps towards it, but that is still some progress. A leap would have been getting the pill as easily as when buying an aspirin, but the current trial still means the patient need to leap a few hoops before using it.

Just to add to my earlierr comment - there is a list online of the pharmacies' that are taking part in this 'trial' Out of 145, 6 are in Osaka and 5 (yes 5) in the whole if Tokyo-To! Not exactly widely available.

Doctors have always been reluctant to lose the lucrative abortion industry, which was once as high as 2 million a year, though of course has declined since then. That's why low-dose contraceptive pills were not available for decades and any kind of morning-after pill has been resisted.

How many pills can be purchased at one time? I mean like, is this a "walk of shame" type thing? Every time a woman has sex without protection and does not want to get pregnant, does she need to get to the pharmacy right away or can she stock up a bit.

Doctors have always been reluctant to lose the lucrative abortion industry, which was once as high as 2 million a year, though of course has declined since then

Gynecological services like abortions are performed only by qualified surgeons, a very select number in Japan, but the way you wrote this makes it sound like you are talking about all doctors.

Point is, even though the numbers of abortions may be lower than before, the doctors are far from reluctant to give their ok to this IF it is a safe procedure!

Any doctor who is worth anything, never intentionally WANTS to cut into any person's body and prefer no invasive procedures, across the board!

That's why low-dose contraceptive pills were not available for decades and any kind of morning-after pill has been resisted.

It's not this simple! It's more about what pharma company in Japan is producing the pills than anything else. Just like during COVID, the government wouldnt allow vaccinations until a Japanese company was involved in the production of the vaccines. They wanted to keep the money "in house"

Same here.

Japanese pharma pays a pittance to research and development of new medications, because of costs being controlled by the government.

All medical procedures take (in Japan) a long delay and consultation with a doctor before any type of treatment occurs.

I’ve self diagnosed on several occasions and made a purchase from pharmacies and problem solved…when abroad.

The price was set between 7,000-9,000 yen.

A much cheaper and less invasive option for those with high sex drives and good communication with their partners might be a free period-tracking app, like Flo, to alert you of days when the chances of getting pregnant are high and low. Has worked well for me!

All medical procedures take (in Japan) a long delay and consultation with a doctor before any type of treatment occurs.

15 minutes is a long delay? That's about how long it took to go from the treatment room to the emergency room to get put under, and then zapped with an AED, to correct an irregular heartbeat.

Then less than 3 weeks later, a balloon procedure to fix 2 valves in the heart.

Point is, your comment is off the mark! It depends upon the procedure, maybe yours or one's you know about were not emergencies and were low priority, and getting the right doctors scheduled another problem. Who's knows. It is definitely not true that ALL medical procedures have a long delay!

I’ve self diagnosed on several occasions and made a purchase from pharmacies and problem solved…when abroad.

You know what they say about folks who diagnose themselves.

No problems so far Yubaru-touch wood!

lets have men need to show the pharmacist how to put on a condom is the equivalent of them taking the pill in front of them. Disgusting. Woman who need such medication should have it available when they want it not when drug stores are open.

@SaikoPyscho: You clearly don't get the idea of what this pill is for.

@KazukoHarmony: It may well have worked for you but across the board is a totally unreliable form of contraception. It's efficacy rate is below that the off the 'pull-out method'

@Moonraker has it spot on. Hence the still very low take up rate compared to other first world countries of the low dose pill.

Good news for the growing number of prostitutes.

Asking for a friend:

Is the same deal on for Cialis?

I may be pessimistic but it seems every married guy I know is not able to have kids so I am not sure if this pill is needed. Other than that I am not against pills.

They're starting over-the-counter sales of the morning after pill?? No wonder there's so many stories of women with unwanted pregnancies resorting to heinous and desperate measures to get rid of the baby. And Japan, being Japan, they can't make it this an easy and simple transaction - it's absurd that women have to take the pill in front of the pharmacist; and even more absurd that you have to pay for it.

Does this "morning after pill" have a name? Is it illegal to publicise it in media?

it's absurd that women have to take the pill in front of the pharmacist

Agree. Embarrassing and unnecessary.

and even more absurd that you have to pay for it.

Medicine is not free. I don't think this would be free in any nation. I hope the trial is successful and it becomes widely available.

And yet the limitations and procedures imposed on the trial are designed to embarrass and discourage women, don’t suppose they are trying to ensure its failure do you?

Dear Japan,

When will you stop SUCKING the life out of your own people, why everything has to be so difficult and complicated?! and most of all costs $$$.

Just a thought.

For those with a choice, maybe abstinence is the safer bet . . . ?

This would have come in handy more than a few times.

I hope this will help young men and women, so they can get both get help over the counter if they have an accident. They won't have to hide, and I hope it will reduce the news stories of young girls giving birth in secret and leading to worse outcomes. I would prefer this to be free, after all, it is an Emergency. We will read about some 15-year-olds old 16-year-olds stealing money so they can get this help. This should be as easy as showing your health insurance card to the pharmacist and letting the professionals do their job. As usual, some politician thinks they are a doctor.

JtsnoseToday  09:57 pm JST

For those with a choice, maybe abstinence is the safer bet . . . ?

As some one said, Japan has finally entered the 20th century.

YubaruToday  05:12 pm JST

The price was set between 7,000-9,000 yen.

In reality, for those who need access to this, a small price to pay. BUT it should be covered by insurance, and available on demand!

Totally!

Americans and their love for pills. No one even knows all the side effects from putting girls in puberty on hormons but we keep jumping over ladders regardless of risks. If I was Japan I’d seriously consider anything that might have impact on the already declining birthrate directly or indirectly too.

Medicine is not free. I don't think this would be free in any nation. I hope the trial is successful and it becomes widely available.

Certain brands of the morning after pill are free in the UK as part of the NHS emergency contraception scheme. The NHS is far from a perfect healthcare system but at least they aren't trying to make you go skint.

One pill is to be taken in front of the pharmacist. The price was set between 7,000-9,000 yen. Needs covering with health insurance.

Just can't do anything the simple and easy way, everything has to be controlled, monitored, and triple checked, need a guardian or an adult to go to the toilet or even FART.

I call this this the immorality pill. It leads to young people acting in a foolish and promiscuous manner leading to STD’s. This type of thing will lead to a fast slide of public morals where decency and self respect are replaced with filth, deceit and death.

falseflagsteveToday 02:18 am JST

I call this this the immorality pill. It leads to young people acting in a foolish and promiscuous manner leading to STD’s. This type of thing will lead to a fast slide of public morals where decency and self respect are replaced with filth, deceit and death.

Yes, if you erroneously believe people will only have sex after marriage if they try harder, you would come to this conclusion. No one ever died from the morning after pill (inb4 blastocysts are people).

News flash, Japan's birthrate hits a new record low.

I call this this the immorality pill.

And I call this the prude patrol response! Lol, Someone looking to push their own misguided morals on to others, and painting everyone with the same brush!

t leads to young people acting in a foolish and promiscuous manner leading to STD’s. This type of thing will lead to a fast slide of public morals where decency and self respect are replaced with filth, deceit and death.

This is like so backward and "inaka" thinking that it's actually scary to consider that there are people who actually think this way.

This pill is not just about what you THINK here. It's about saving lives too! What happens in the case of a rape? Let the girl pay the price for some guy's actions? No thank you! What about the chance encounters that happen, and regret the next day? Let the woman pay the price for a guy not taking precautions?

You arent a eunuch I hope, as sexual urges are 100% natural, and this prevents from (hopefully) reading about some poor girl killing her newborn in a park bathroom!

Oh what "death"? Of possibly a few cells? You lose more cells off your skin in a day, than the cells that would be flushed from the uterus of a possibly pregnant woman. Dont try and say it's "life", please, no one is that ignorant!

However, women still have to show ID and take the medication in front of a pharmacist

Why?

Yubara

If a victim of rape it’s different but this is not being allowed just for that. Virtue signals escape the reality of what’s going on in reality. It’s a slippery slide towards the kind of immoral behaviour we find in the West that is causing untold issues.

If a female has sexual relations and regrets it after, the is a lesson learned in life. The child can be adopted by those who cannot be parents, it would help with the population decline.

It’s a slippery slide towards the kind of immoral behaviour we find in the West that is causing untold issues.

Japan is already full of immoral behavior. I don’t know where people get this idea of Japan being some bastion of morality. Besides, abortion is already legal in Japan. If we’re going to make a moral argument, I would say that contraception is much better than abortion morally.

If a female has sexual relations and regrets it after, the is a lesson learned in life.

There are plenty of people who take all the proper precautions to protect themselves from pregnancies and end up pregnant. It’s called “Plan B” for a reason

Oh what "death"? Of possibly a few cells? You lose more cells off your skin in a day, than the cells that would be flushed from the uterus of a possibly pregnant woman. Dont try and say it's "life", please, no one is that ignorant!

What? The morning after pill isn’t an abortion pill so I’m not sure what you’re implying when you say “flushed from the uterus of a possibly pregnant woman”. The morning after pill prevents pregnancy, it doesn’t terminate one

What? The morning after pill isn’t an abortion pill so I’m not sure what you’re implying when you say “flushed from the uterus of a possibly pregnant woman”. The morning after pill prevents pregnancy, it doesn’t terminate one

Read the entire post, stop, and then pause. No kidding! I know it, I was trying to explain to someone that the sperm and egg, that may have been joined together, would be flushed from the system of the woman.

They were attempting to imply that it was a "life" was being terminated, and I was stating that it wasnt a "life" but just a bunch of cells.

falsefigsteve: if a victim of rape it’s different but this is not being allowed just for that. Virtue signals escape the reality of what’s going on in reality. It’s a slippery slide towards the kind of immoral behaviour we find in the West that is causing untold issues.

Immoral? Sex is "immoral"? What right do you, or anyone have to impose your Judeo-Christian hogwash morality on anyone?

Once again, banging my head against a wall!

If a female has sexual relations and regrets it after, the is a lesson learned in life. The child can be adopted by those who cannot be parents, it would help with the population decline.

Never forget it takes two, and in this case it's gotta be a "male" and female to need this pill. But you want to place the burden all on the female, because a guy didnt use contraception too?

Read the entire post, stop, and then pause. No kidding! I know it, I was trying to explain to someone that the sperm and egg, that may have been joined together, would be flushed from the system of the woman.

That is NOT what happens though when you take the morning after pill though, you’re wrong. The morning after pill prevents women from ovulating, which prevents the sperm from joining with the egg in the first place.

They were attempting to imply that it was a "life" was being terminated, and I was stating that it wasnt a "life" but just a bunch of cells.

Cells are life though?

@ffs. You are stuck in another century mate. Broken condoms? Rape? SO out of touch with the modern world.

Better than terminations and unwanted pregnancies.

spot on @wallace

Still backwards and disrespectful for women to take it Infront of a pharmacist.

A very little step forward.

I see them on counters where I live and anyone can take them and use them privately.

I saw it on the news last night. A pretty high hurdle to get it especially for under 18 yo females and quite expensive.

7000 yen for two tablets of Levonorgestrel?! This is too expensive. It should be 200 yen max.

Immoral? Sex is "immoral"? What right do you, or anyone have to impose your Judeo-Christian hogwash morality on anyone?

Is he imposing anything on anyone? It sounds to me like he's sharing his opinion. That's still legal, right?

Is he imposing anything on anyone? It sounds to me like he's sharing his opinion. That's still legal, right?

It's legal, but if he gets his way it would be at the expense of someone. And since he's a man, he would never have to eat the consequences of his choice, just all the females.

owzerToday 03:26 pm JST

Immoral? Sex is "immoral"? What right do you, or anyone have to impose your Judeo-Christian hogwash morality on anyone?

Is he imposing anything on anyone? It sounds to me like he's sharing his opinion. That's still legal, right?

It's a tiny step from calling it the "immorality pill" to saying it should be banned. We are seeing this in the states with the push to ban abortion medications.

It's a tiny step from calling it the "immorality pill" to saying it should be banned. We are seeing this in the states with the push to ban abortion medications.

I think people should have the right to say something should be banned or should not be banned. That's not to say people should have the right to actually ban something. I'm speaking about the freedom to share one's opinion.

An embryo has a capacity for growth, therefore it has life. Termination of an embryo is evil.

A human being is more than its carnal desires. A human being is capable of truly loving another.

owzerNov. 29 08:19 pm JST

It's a tiny step from calling it the "immorality pill" to saying it should be banned. We are seeing this in the states with the push to ban abortion medications.

I think people should have the right to say something should be banned or should not be banned. That's not to say people should have the right to actually ban something. I'm speaking about the freedom to share one's opinion.

People are free to express their political opinions but it is important to realize when religion is creeping into politics. It's not far off from having a Taliban style movement in your country. I didn't downvote you, btw.

An embryo has a capacity for growth, therefore it has life. Termination of an embryo is evil.

A human being is more than its carnal desires. A human being is capable of truly loving another.

I hope you step up and take all these unwanted children into your care, and give them the life and love they deserve. All, not just the one's you like, think are cute, or whatever. Being naive and blind to reality is cute sometimes, but folks have to wake up!

Your sentiments are sweet for a utopian world. We live in reality and that is something totally different.

People are free to express their political opinions but it is important to realize when religion is creeping into politics. It's not far off from having a Taliban style movement in your country.

Thankfully NOT here in Japan.

I didn't downvote you, btw.

Oh I did to you, just because you care!

If only there was another way to avoid unwanted pregnancy……. But I guess noone wants to talk about that.

Cant help but feel another pill

to take away personal responsibilities isnt the answer society needs……

On what basis do y’all say the morning after pill should be a “right”?

It may be convenient to have, though of questionable morality being a separate issue, why a basic right?

Also if its a “right” it is tax payer funded, and if people have a moral problem with such funding would it be fair for them to withdraw it? Similar to how people can choose their money isnt spent on defense.

If only there was another way to avoid unwanted pregnancy

For those in the case this is useful? like what exactly?

On what basis do y’all say the morning after pill should be a “right”?

On the basis of public health authorities determining it so.

For example the WHO in its recommendations for emergency contraception says

*All women and girls at risk of an unintended pregnancy have a right to access emergency contraception and these methods should be routinely included within all national family planning programmes. Moreover, emergency contraception should be integrated into health care services for populations most at risk of exposure to unprotected sex, including post-sexual assault care and services for women and girls living in emergency and humanitarian settings.*

Also if its a “right” it is tax payer funded, and if people have a moral problem with such funding would it be fair for them to withdraw it? 

Of course not, if they have a moral problem with using it then they can refrain from doing it, not from restricting that right from others, to do this the people opposing the measure need to demonstrate an objective moral problem with anybody using it, not just a personal preference.

Invent a morning after pill for hangovers....then youre on a winner

On the basis of public health authorities determining it so.

Why? Because they say it is.

Can we avoid circular logic here and no the WHO saying so is not a reason, its yet another “coz x says so”.

Lets say victims of sexual assault etc can have as many pills or abortions as they need. This wasnt part of the original argument anyway so its settled.

Now why should morning after pills, be a right ?

So you don’t think people should be able to opt out of their money going towards defence spending in the first place? Ie, enjoying a public good such as defence, or a public good such as a more morally cohesive society, call it what you will the details are not important, society is a collective to we all reap what is sown.

Also “not funding” it isnt the same as “restricting other peoples ‘rights’”.

Those who feel such a right should be available are welcome to have their tax money go to it.

Why? Because they say it is.

And because the may very powerful arguments for this to be the case without anybody refuting them, ignoring those arguments is not an argument to demonstrate them invalid. For that you need to argue against the WHO (and all other public health institution that consider emergency contraception this way) and demonstrate they are wrong in that conclusion. There is such a thing as a valid appeal to authority.

Circular reason would be to pretend the experts of the world must be wrong just because they are wrong, not because of any argument you have against their position.

Now why should morning after pills, be a right ?

Because they fulfill a basic reproductive need as demonstrated by public health authorities, without a negative effect that would offset that benefit. You still have not demonstrated the contrary, just claimed authorities must be wrong without offering any evidence nor argument for it.

So you don’t think people should be able to opt out of their money going towards defence spending in the first place? 

Without making an argument why this spending is unjustified or wrong? No, since your example is a terrible easy thing to argue against (specially with the much more urgent destinations available) it makes even worse your point since you have not been able to do the same for emergency contraception.

public good such as a more morally cohesive society

Fulfilling basic reproductive needs is an example of something that can make a society more morally cohesive, you are arguing against your own position here.

Also “not funding” it isnt the same as “restricting other peoples ‘rights’”.

Yes it is, the government (in charge of making those right available) is the one failing to do it, that means it is restricting those rights. You are claiming this is justified, but have not even argued how this is the case.

Japan's slide into degeneracy...