Society

Morning-After Pill to Be Sold Over the Counter by Year-End

TOKYO, Nov 05 (News On Japan) - Emergency contraceptive pills, used to prevent unintended pregnancies, are set to become available over the counter in Japan as early as by the end of this fiscal year, marking a major shift after nearly a decade of debate.

Emergency contraceptives can prevent about 80 percent of pregnancies when taken within 72 hours after intercourse by delaying ovulation. Unlike abortion pills, they work by preventing fertilization or implantation. Although such drugs are available without prescriptions in about 90 countries and regions, Japan has until now required a doctor’s consultation and prescription. That system will change following the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare’s approval in October of the drug Norlevo for nonprescription sale.

The government moved forward after long-standing calls to make the drug more accessible, citing the urgency of taking it promptly for effectiveness. Many women have struggled to obtain prescriptions during holidays or outside clinic hours, which made timely access difficult. The new policy aims to ensure availability at local pharmacies, reducing delays that could compromise efficacy.

Under the new rules, pharmacies must meet certain conditions to sell the drug. A trained pharmacist must handle the transaction, privacy must be protected, and cooperation with obstetricians and gynecologists is required. Buyers, regardless of age, will not need parental consent but must answer questions about their age, medical history, timing of intercourse, and menstrual cycle. Purchasers will also be required to take the pill in front of the pharmacist.

The measure is designed to ensure safe use and prevent issues such as reselling or coercion by others. However, concerns remain that the requirement to take the pill under supervision could discourage some women due to privacy fears. Some have expressed that taking a pill “that could change one’s life” should be done in a calmer, more private environment.

The move brings Japan closer to international standards but also highlights the country’s lag in sexual health education. Experts note that while Japan’s medical technology is advanced, education on contraception and reproductive rights remains limited. Many are calling for greater awareness to accompany easier access, emphasizing the need to reduce stigma and improve literacy around women’s reproductive choices.

Source: TBS

Severe Winter Storm Causes Major Disruptions Across Northern Japan

A rapidly developing low-pressure system brought record snowfall to eastern Hokkaido on December 15th, with travel, coastal communities and local services all experiencing significant disruption as wet, heavy snow and powerful winds swept across northern Japan.

2 Dead in Tokyo Private Sauna Blaze

A fire broke out inside a private sauna facility in Tokyo’s Akasaka district, leaving a man and a woman in their 30s—believed to be customers—dead as investigators began examining how the blaze started and why the pair were unable to escape.

Otsu Festival Parade Gets UNESCO Approval

Otsu’s centuries-old festival tradition has been approved for inscription on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list, marking a significant recognition of the cultural and communal value of the Otsu Festival’s Hikiyama parade.

Akita Train Derails And Overturns, Injuring Driver

A train running on the Akita Nairiku Jukan Railway derailed and overturned near Kayakusa Station in Kitaakita City on the morning of December 12th, with the incident reported to police and fire authorities shortly before 6:50 a.m.

Kitagawa and Sakaguchi Receive Nobel Medals

The Nobel Prize award ceremony was held on the evening of December 10th, or early on December 11th in Japan, at the Stockholm Concert Hall, where King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden presented the highest honors — the medal and certificate — to Osaka University specially appointed professor Shimon Sakaguchi, 74, the recipient of this year’s Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, and Kyoto University distinguished professor Susumu Kitagawa, 74, who won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Society NEWS

Two People Stabbed at Fukuoka Mall

A woman attending a live performance and a male event staff member for HKT48 were stabbed by a man wielding what appeared to be a knife at a commercial complex in Fukuoka City on the evening of December 14th, with police confirming that both victims sustained injuries that were not life-threatening as officers later began questioning a man in his thirties believed to have fled the scene immediately after the attack.

Osaka's Korea Town Transformed by Vietnamese and Nepalese Communities

Ikuno Ward in Osaka, long known as a community shaped by Korean residents, is undergoing a significant transformation as the number of foreign nationals rises and the origins of its population diversify across roughly 80 countries. Nearly one in five of the ward’s 130,000 residents now hold foreign nationality, with recent growth driven in particular by arrivals from Vietnam and Nepal.

Police on Alert as Yamaguchi-gumi Leadership Assembles

Yamaguchi-gumi, Japan’s largest crime syndicate and a designated organized crime group under special anti-conflict measures in Hyogo Prefecture and other regions, convened a meeting in Shizuoka City’s Shimizu Ward on December 13th.

Geiko and Maiko Begin Year-End Ritual

In Kyoto’s Gion district, the annual ritual known as Kotohajime, when preparations for the New Year formally begin, took place on December 13th as geiko and maiko visited their teachers to offer thanks for the past year and convey greetings for the year ahead.

Mother Reports Sister Stabbing Younger Sibling

A 24-year-old woman was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after allegedly stabbing her younger sister in the back with a kitchen knife at their home in Kisarazu on the night of December 13th.

Graffiti Found on One of Japan’s Three Famous Bridges

A series of graffiti markings discovered along the shores of Lake Biwa has drawn sharp criticism from local residents after damage was found on a site long regarded as one of Japan’s Three Famous Bridges, adding to a growing number of defacements occurring at renowned destinations across the country.

Bear Chosen as Kanji of the Year

The Kanji of the Year for 2025 was announced at Kiyomizu Temple in Kyoto on December 12th, with the Japan Kanji Aptitude Testing Foundation selecting the character for bear for the first time after nationwide sightings, record-high damage and injuries.

Akita Train Derails And Overturns, Injuring Driver

< 2 3 4 5 >