Regarding "emergency contraceptives" to prevent unintended pregnancy, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare held a study meeting in June and decided to lift the ban on sales at pharmacies or start full-scale discussions.
Emergency contraceptives can prevent pregnancy to some extent if taken within 72 hours of sexual activity, but a doctor's prescription is required in Japan.
From women's support groups, there are many women who become pregnant while hesitating to receive a medical examination and are forced to have an abortion operation. In addition, there are medical institutions close to them that can handle sexual damage. Some people have been asked to lift the ban on sales at pharmacies, saying that some people cannot find it.
In December of last year, the government's basic plan for gender equality included consideration of lifting the ban on the condition that it should be taken face-to-face after receiving sufficient explanation from a trained pharmacist, but it depends on the people concerned. The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare has decided to hold a study meeting on the 7th of next month to start full-scale discussions.
Four years ago, the same study group discussed whether to allow sales at pharmacies, but because sex education was delayed compared to Europe and the United States, understanding of contraceptives was not advanced, and pharmacists at pharmacies said. The ban has been postponed prematurely because it is difficult to explain the effects and risks.
After that, the situation has changed, with about 9,000 pharmacists receiving training in response to the approval of the prescription of emergency contraceptives in online medical care, so the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare renewed it at the study group. The policy is to seek expert judgment after organizing the issues.