Translation from original Japanese
Assembly Bill No. 6
Opinion Calling for Careful Review of Approval of Oral Abortion Pills
In December 2021, a British pharmaceutical company applied for the first time for approval of an oral abortion pill manufactured by the company for use in Japan.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has recognized the drug's safety and designated it an essential medicine to disseminate widely. More than 80 countries and territories have approved the drug. However, Japan has not approved the drug at this stage.
The two oral abortion pills submitted for approval, Mifepristone and Misoprostol, have been shown to have the potential to cause massive bleeding requiring surgery and bacterial infections as side effects.
Since its approval in September 2000, there have been reports about 26 deaths despite frequent warnings and reminders not to take the pills without consulting a medical institution. In Japan, there was a report in 2008 that a woman who purchased and took drugs with these two active ingredients through private importation over the Internet suffered profuse bleeding, cramps, and abdominal pains and was hospitalized.
In addition, young (teenage) pregnant women are more likely to have abortions out of a single-minded desire not to let their parents know about their pregnancies. Also, there is concern about the rising sexual abuse of women, such as being forced by men to use oral abortion pills readily. As a result, there is concern that the rate of sexually transmitted diseases and abortion among teenagers will increase, that this will accelerate the trend toward younger ages, that this will hurt children, both physically and mentally, and that they will increasingly lose respect for their tiny lives.
Therefore, we strongly request that the government further strengthen its counseling and support systems for women suffering from unexpected pregnancies--not limited to abortion--and that it take careful measures, such as stimulating broad public debate and listening carefully to the opinions of the public, in its approval screening process.
We submit this letter of opinion under Article 99 of the Local Autonomy Law.
March 16, 2023
To:
Chairman of the House of Representatives
Chairman of the House of Councillors
Prime Minister
Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications
Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology
Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare
Minister of Promoting the Advancement of Women
Chief Cabinet Secretary
