Although it was one of the first countries in the world to pass laws allowing abortion (for reasons of hereditary transmission…),

Although Japan was one of the first countries in the world to pass a law allowing abortion (initially for the purpose of preserving the bloodline of the race, later changed to protect women’s health), it remains one of the few countries worldwide that requires women to obtain consent from their husband/partner to have an abortion.

This law not only contradicts the global trend of recognizing abortion as a right of the pregnant individual, as endorsed by the World Health Organization and international agreements, but also reflects the deep-rooted influence of the patriarchal system in Japanese society from past to present.

Currently, Japan is preparing to approve abortion pills for the first time, but accessing the medication faces the same issue as obtaining abortion services at clinics: the male partner’s consent is required.

Minami Ota is one of those affected by this law. She said she became pregnant because her boyfriend refused to use a condom, and when she asked him to sign consent for her to have an abortion, he refused again.

“It’s strange that I have to ask him to use protection, and when he doesn’t use a condom, I have to ask him for permission to have an abortion.”

“I’m the one who’s pregnant, it’s my body, but I have to ask someone else for permission. It makes me feel powerless. I can’t make decisions about my own body and future.”

For those who think Japan is a highly developed country, when it comes to reproductive health rights, it’s not the case. A frequently cited example is that while oral contraceptives took nearly 40 years to be approved by Japan’s Ministry of Health in 1999, Viagra was approved in just 6 months.

And for the abortion pills that are about to be approved, they are very expensive, costing up to $700 or about 25,000 baht, because Japanese doctors say the medication must be used in a healthcare facility for continuous monitoring, even though many countries now allow the medication to be used at home and sent by mail for convenience.

In this case, buying a plane ticket to receive services in Thailand might even be cheaper.