Chastity and Prostitution


Back to Eugenics

 

Chastity

Kakuseikai's Petition for the Reform of Criminal and Civil Codes

Article 183: Adultery and de facto Polygamy

 

Oral Contraceptives

 

In Japan, lobbying from the Japan Medical Association led to the Pill being not approved for nearly 40 years. Two main objections raised by the association were safety concerns over long-term use of the Pill, and concerns that Pill use would lead to diminished use of condoms and thereby potentially increase sexually-transmitted infection rates. Some voiced suspicions that potential loss of income due to lower abortion rates that could result from Pill use might have been a factor in the organization's objection. The association responded to its critics by pointing out that doctors would have received higher monetary compensation from prescribing pills, given Japan's national health insurance system. Partially due to the widespread regular use of condoms, Japan did avoid the spread of AIDS early in the epidemic. The low rate of HIV infection in Japan is cited by the association as a vindication of their policycitation needed.

The Pill was finally approved for use in 1999, however the Pill prescription guidelines the government endorsed are quite stringent. They require Pill users to visit a doctor every three months for pelvic examinations and undergo tests for sexually transmitted diseases and uterine cancer. In the United States and Europe, in contrast, an annual examination is standard for Pill users. Still only very few women take it up[see "Women Shun the Pill" article in Related Links]. For a detailed discussion of abortion and pill politics in Japan see Tiana Norgren (2001) Abortion before Birth Control.

(from the Wikipedia page on oral contraceptives)

Chu-pi-ren (The Women’s Liberation Federation for Opposing the Abortion Prohibition Law and Lifting the Pill Ban)

 

"Chupiren adopted extremely militant demonstrations as its activists wearing pink helmets stormed the workplace of men who had been labeled as sexist and loudly denounced these “miscreants” in front of their colleagues. The emergence of this group discouraged many women from sympathizing with feminism. However, such publicly conspicuous demonstrations were unusual in the Japanese liberation movement. The mainstream, in fact, seemed to be more interested in “consciousness-raising” than public demonstrations, although some activists still made use of demonstrative strategies." (Women’s Movements and Democracy in Japan: Intersection between Everyday Lives and Politics - Mikiko Eto)

 

Prostitution in Japan

 

Selected Prostitution Law Chronology

 

"Massage Parlors and Public Baths"

 

Kodosurukai's position

(Kodosurukai phamplet: "Chapter 5: Freedom to Decide")