(Kyodo News via Yahoo! Japan, February 8, Saturday, 16:55 JST)
「経口中絶薬」服用1440件 承認約1年、最多は20代（共同通信） - Yahoo!ニュース
On February 8, an investigation by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare revealed that 1,440 abortions using oral abortion pills were performed in Japan in the approximately one-year period from April 2023, when the medication was first approved, to the end of March 2024.
Looking at the number of cases by five-year age groups, the largest number of users were aged 20 to 24, with 379 cases, followed by 349 cases among those aged 25 to 29. The youngest reported user was 13 years old. Experts have pointed out that "the spread of this method is still insufficient."
[Photo] The shocking reality revealed by doctors: 'Over 10% of women prescribed emergency contraception are victims of sexual violence.' Some perpetrators are even their fathers... In Japan, access to the pill is hindered, despite the 72-hour limit for effective use.
The right to decide whether to give birth or not is known as Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), and there are growing concerns about Japan’s delay in addressing this issue. March 8 marks International Women's Day.
Oral abortion pills were first approved in France nearly 40 years ago, but in Japan, the "Mefeego Pack," developed by a British pharmaceutical company, was only approved on April 28, 2023. The pills can be used up to nine weeks of pregnancy and must be administered under the supervision of a doctor designated under the Maternal Protection Act.
According to the Health Administration Report compiled by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, the number of cases by age was as follows:
13 and 14 years old: 1 case each
15 years old: 9 cases
16 years old: 11 cases
17 years old: 21 cases
18 years old: 28 cases
19 years old: 50 cases
30 to 34 years old: 263 cases
35 to 39 years old: 223 cases
