{"page":"\u003clink rel=\"stylesheet\" href=\"https://lessonplanet.com/assets/packs/css/resources-572d6a42.css\" /\u003e\n\u003clink rel=\"stylesheet\" href=\"https://lessonplanet.com/assets/packs/css/lp_boclips_stylesheets-f4d0de30.css\" media=\"all\" /\u003e\n\u003cdiv data-title='JAPAN: BIRTH CONTROL PILL' data-url='/boclips/videos/5c54c0ccd8eafeecae14d728' data-video-url='/boclips/videos/5c54c0ccd8eafeecae14d728' id='bo_player_modal'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='boclips-resource-page modal-dialog panel-container'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='react-notifications-root'\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-header'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-type'\u003e\n\u003ci aria-hidden='true' class='fai fa-regular fa-circle-play'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\nVideo\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ch1 class='rp-title' id='video-title'\u003e\nJAPAN: BIRTH CONTROL PILL\n\u003c/h1\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-actions'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='mr-1'\u003e\n\u003ca class=\"btn btn-success\" data-posthog-event=\"Signup: LP Signup Activity\" data-posthog-location=\"body_link_boclips\" data-remote=\"true\" href=\"/subscription/new\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003eGet Free Access\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e for 10 Days\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e!\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-body'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-info'\u003e\n\u003cdiv aria-label='Hide resource details' class='rp-hide-info' role='button' tabindex='0'\u003e\u0026times;\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ci aria-label='Expand resource details' class='rp-expand-info fai fa-solid fa-up-right-and-down-left-from-center' role='button' tabindex='0'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\u003ci aria-label='Compress resource details' class='rp-compress-info fai fa-solid fa-down-left-and-up-right-to-center' role='button' tabindex='0'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-rating'\u003e\n\u003cspan class='resource-pool'\u003e\n\u003cspan class='pool-label'\u003ePublisher:\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan class='pool-name'\u003e\n\u003cspan class='text'\u003e\u003ca data-publisher-id=\"30356011\" href=\"/search?publisher_ids%5B%5D=30356011\"\u003eCurated Video\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-description'\u003e\n\u003cspan class='short-description'\u003eJapanese/NatAfter deliberating nine years over a drug that has been available in the West for decades, the Japanese government has decided to allow limited sale of the birth control pill.The Health Ministry's Central Pharmaceutical...\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan class='full-description hide'\u003eJapanese/Nat\u003cbr/\u003eAfter deliberating nine years over a drug that has been available in the West for decades, the Japanese government has decided to allow limited sale of the birth control pill.\u003cbr/\u003eThe Health Ministry's Central Pharmaceutical Affairs Council submitted its recommendation to the ministry, and formal approval will take place by the end of the month.\u003cbr/\u003eThe drug's approval comes just a few months after an uproar over the Japanese government's quick decision to allow the sale of the male impotence drug Viagra.\u003cbr/\u003eOfficials say the drug, which will require a doctor's prescription, is expected become available in Japan by autumn.     \u003cbr/\u003eJapan's Health Ministry committee finally gave its approval on Wednesday.\u003cbr/\u003eThe announcement was made at a news conference.\u003cbr/\u003eSOUNDBITE: (Japanese)\u003cbr/\u003e\"Now that all conditions have been met, we can approve the pills.\u003cbr/\u003eSUPER CAPTION: Toshiki Hirai, Director, Evaluation and Licensing\u003cbr/\u003eDivision, Pharmaceutical and Medical Safety Bureau, Japanese Health Ministry\u003cbr/\u003eMore than 300 million women worldwide have used the pill, which has long been available in nearly all industrialised and developing countries.\u003cbr/\u003eMedical opinion is also generally in favour of the drug, with recent studies finding no long-term ill effects.\u003cbr/\u003eIn Japan, however, the pill has only been available for treatment of medical problems such as ovarian cancer.\u003cbr/\u003eIn dragging out its approval, Tokyo cited fears about the destruction of the nation's morals, the risk of side-effects and even environmental harm from the hormones.\u003cbr/\u003eWomen's groups counter that doctors aren't eager for a reduction in the number of abortions. \u003cbr/\u003eAbortions are a lucrative business because national health insurance\u003cbr/\u003edoesn't cover the procedure, so there's no cap on the fees doctors can charge.\u003cbr/\u003eIt's also commonplace, with one in five pregnancies ending in that procedure.\u003cbr/\u003eOn the outskirts of Tokyo, the Purple Crowd Temple cradles 17-thousand guardian deities wearing red aprons dedicated for babies which, for one reason or another, were not born.\u003cbr/\u003eThere is a widespread belief linked to Buddhism that the spirit of an aborted or miscarriaged foetus could cast a curse on the family in question.\u003cbr/\u003eAccording the Buddhist faith, abortion is considered to be as sinful as murder, and there is a school of thought which sees contraceptive pills as going against nature.\u003cbr/\u003eSOUNDBITE: (Japanese)\u003cbr/\u003e\"It is to be questioned whether one can control life with the use of birth control pills without careful consideration - for the sake of enjoying oneself.\"  \u003cbr/\u003eSUPER CAPTION: Masataka Shimizu, Vice Abott, Purple Crowd Temple\u003cbr/\u003eThose who've been unable to bear children climb the steep hill to pray for the babies' spirits.\u003cbr/\u003eFor some, it's a painful thing.\u003cbr/\u003eSOUNDBITE: (Japanese)\u003cbr/\u003e\"All these statues for the unborn babies symbolise our agony.\"\u003cbr/\u003eSUPER CAPTION: Setsuko Teranishi\u003cbr/\u003eIn Japan, the initial application for approval of the pills was made in 1990.\u003cbr/\u003eDragging out approval for more than nine years, the government cited fears about the destruction of the nation's morals and even environmental harm from the hormones.\u003cbr/\u003eBut some doctors say government policy has not reflected public opinion.\u003cbr/\u003eSOUNDBITE: (Japanese)\u003cbr/\u003e\"There are patients who feel not only regret but also anger when they find themselves in a situation where there is no choice but abortion. Then, they read my book on contraception and come back to me angry that approval for the pill has been delayed for so long.\"\u003cbr/\u003eSUPER CAPTION: Tomoko Saotome, MD, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Aoyama Hospital\u003cbr/\u003eThe approval of the pill could help to lower the number of abortions.\u003cbr/\u003eBut Japanese women have been largely kept in the dark about the pill, and some, unsure of its side effects, say they don't plan to try it.    \u003cbr/\u003eSOUNDBITE: (Japanese) \u003cbr/\u003e\"I might think of taking the pill once I confirm that is really okay, after somebody I know takes it.\"\u003cbr/\u003eSUPER CAPTION: Vox pop\u003cbr/\u003eWednesday's approval should mark a new period in Japanese society.\u003cbr/\u003eTokyo, Japan - May 30 and June 2, 1999 \u003cbr/\u003eTokyo, 2nd June\u003cbr/\u003e1. Exterior shot of Health Ministry\u003cbr/\u003e2. Various of Health Minister Advisory Panel\u003cbr/\u003e3. Medium shot of Toshiki Hirai, Director, Evaluation and Licensing Division, Pharmaceutical and Medical safety Bureau, Japanese Health Ministry, walking into press conference\u003cbr/\u003e4. Wide shot of press conference\u003cbr/\u003e5. SOUNDBITE: (Japanese)Toshiki Hirai, Director, Evaluation and Licensing Division, Pharmaceutical and Medical safety Bureau, Japanese Health Ministry, walking into press conference\u003cbr/\u003e6. Various of contraceptive pills\u003cbr/\u003ePurple Crowd Temple, 1st June\u003cbr/\u003e7. Wide shot of deity statues on the hill\u003cbr/\u003e8. Medium shot of statues\u003cbr/\u003e9. Wide shot of a woman praying in front of statues\u003cbr/\u003e10. Closer shot of statues\u003cbr/\u003e11. Medium shot of men pouring water onto statues\u003cbr/\u003e12. Masataka Shimizu, Vice Abott, Purple Crowd Temple, walking\u003cbr/\u003e13. Close up of a toy windmill in front of statues\u003cbr/\u003e14. SOUNDBITE: (Japanese) Masataka Shimizu, Vice Abott, Purple Crowd Temple\u003cbr/\u003e15. Wide shot of a couple praying\u003cbr/\u003e16. SOUNDBITE: (Japanese) Vox pop, Setsuko Teranishi\u003cbr/\u003eTokyo, 30th May\u003cbr/\u003e17. Tilt up from the picture of foetus to close up of Tomoko Saotome, MD, Obstetrics and Gynaecology     \u003cbr/\u003e18. SOUNDBITE: (Japanese)Tomoko Saotome, MD, Obstetrics and Gynaecology     \u003cbr/\u003e19. Zoom into scraping instrument\u003cbr/\u003eTokyo, 31st May\u003cbr/\u003e20. Wide shot of couple resting in the park\u003cbr/\u003e21. SOUNDBITE: (Japanese) Vox pop\u003cbr/\u003e22. Medium shot of a woman cradling a baby\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='action-container flex justify-between'\u003e\n\u003cbutton aria-expanded='false' aria-label='Read more description' class='rp-full-description' type='button'\u003e\n\u003ci class='fai fa-solid fa-align-left'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\u003cspan id='read_more'\u003eRead More\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/button\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-report'\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv aria-labelledby='resource-details-heading' class='rp-info-section'\u003e\n\u003ch2 class='title' id='resource-details-heading'\u003eResource Details\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-resource-details clearfix'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='detail'\u003e\n\u003cdl\u003e\n\u003cdt\u003eCurator Rating\u003c/dt\u003e\n\u003cdd\u003e\u003cspan class=\"star-rating\" aria-label=\"3.5 out of 5 stars\" role=\"img\"\u003e\u003ci class=\"fa-solid fa-star text-action\" 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class='detail'\u003e\n\u003cdl\u003e\n\u003cdt\u003eDate\u003c/dt\u003e\n\u003cdd\u003e1999\u003c/dd\u003e\n\u003c/dl\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='detail'\u003e\n\u003cdl\u003e\n\u003ci aria-hidden='true' class='fai fa-solid fa-language'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\n\u003c/dl\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='detail'\u003e\n\u003cdl\u003e\n\u003cdt\u003eAudiences\u003c/dt\u003e\u003cdd\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003ca href=\"/search?audience_ids%5B%5D=371079\u0026amp;grade_ids%5B%5D=259\u0026amp;search_tab_id=1\"\u003eFor Teacher Use\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/dd\u003e\u003cdd class=\"text-muted\"\u003e\u003ci class=\"fa-solid fa-lock mr5\"\u003e\u003c/i\u003e2 more...\u003c/dd\u003e\n\u003c/dl\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='detail'\u003e\n\u003cdl\u003e\n\n\u003c/dl\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv aria-labelledby='concepts-heading' class='rp-info-section'\u003e\n\u003ch2 class='title' id='concepts-heading'\u003eConcepts\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='clearfix'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='details-list concepts' data-identifier='Boclips::VideoDecorator' data-type='concepts'\u003eabortion, japan, east asia, asia\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='concepts-toggle-buttons' data-identifier='Boclips::VideoDecorator'\u003e\n\u003cbutton aria-expanded='false' class='more btn-link' type='button'\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003eShow More\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003ci aria-hidden='true' class='fa-solid fa-caret-down ml5'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\u003c/button\u003e\n\u003cbutton aria-expanded='true' class='less btn-link' style='display: none;' type='button'\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003eShow Less\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003ci aria-hidden='true' class='fa-solid fa-caret-up ml5'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\u003c/button\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv aria-labelledby='additional-tags-heading' class='rp-info-section'\u003e\n\u003ch2 class='title' 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