Japan

Access to abortion is a fundamental human right and a basic healthcare. If you live in a country where access to abortion is restricted, you can get abortion pills through Women on Web.

Abortion on request is not authorized. It is permitted up to 22 weeks for economic or social reasons, in case of rape or if the pregnancy endangers the woman or person's health, including physical health, or their life.

A married person needs spousal consent to proceed with their abortion request.
Depending on gestational age, abortion is fully or partially covered by public insurance.

Penal law criminalizes women and pregnant people for having an abortion outside of the legal conditions specified in the law. Abortion providers and any people assisting may be criminalized for an abortion outside of the legal conditions specified in the law.

Mifepristone is not officially registered by the country’s pharmaceutical authority.

Misoprostol is officially registered by the country’s pharmaceutical authority.

It is registered for gynecological indications (such as birth, miscarriage treatment or abortion care etc.)

A doctor's prescription may be required to get Misoprostol.

Misoprostol is distributed in pharmacies.

These are brand names under which Mifepristone, Misoprostol or Combi Packs (that contain both abortion pills Mifepristone and Misoprostol) are officially distributed and/or commonly found in the country.

Mifepristone:
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Misoprostol:
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Combipack:
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Safety notice: There are pills that contain a combination of Misoprostol and the painkiller Diclofenac. While manufactured for a different purpose they can still be used for abortion. Please find more info in our FAQ to avoid overdosing the Diclofenac.

The actual costs of abortion pills are often difficult to determine, vary and change over time. Fill out our questionnaire to add and share your experience.

1. "Mifepristone is not registered in Japan and not available locally, but only through international organisations. If a person takes Mifepristone, or somebody sells Mifepristone, they might be arrested under the abortion clause in Penal Code in Japan. However, Mifepristone is currently under clinical experiment in Japan. Misoprostol is legal in Japan, but it is not accessible without doctor's prescription. Medical abortion is legally not permitted, and culturally speaking, medical doctors do never easily create fake prescriptions either for any reasons. So, it is equal to impossible for pregnant people to access Misoprostol for the purpose of terminating a pregnancy. We have never heard of any cases where women found Misoprostol domestically by any means.
   Abortion in Japan is always surgical, and not covered by health insurance. The first trimester abortion costs 800 euro. So, if the pregnant person does not have sufficient money, does not want to undergo a surgical abortion, or cannot obtain partner's consent for any reasons, first contact one of feminist organisations. Medical institutions would not easily make an exception to help you out, but they choose to abide by rules. " Anonymous - October 2022