蜜芽传媒

While debate still rages in the US over the repeal of Roe v Wade, a much less noisy argument is unfolding in Japan over the legalisation of so-called medically induced abortions.

In May, a senior health ministry official told parliament it was finally set to approve an abortion pill manufactured by British pharmaceutical company Linepharma International.

But he also said that women will still need to "gain the consent of their partner" before the pills can be administered - a stipulation pro-choice campaigners have called patriarchal and outdated.

Medical abortions, using pills rather than surgery, were made legal in France 34 years ago. Britain approved them in 1991, and the US in 2000.

In many European countries this is now the most common form of terminating a pregnancy.

Megumi Otto speaks of her own experience when trying to get an abortion and female sexual health campaigner Asuka Someya gives her opinion on the medical and legislative establishment.

(Photo: people walking on a street in Tokyo Credit: Reuters)

Show less