Japan is very unique in its history of reproductive rights compared to other countries. Abortion was legalized relatively early in 1948 and yet, the oral contraceptive tablet became legal as late as in 1999. Japanese abortion policy is relatively liberal while its contraceptive policy is very conservative. Not to say that the right to abortion has faced repeated attacks and calls for criminalization. Throughout Japanese history, the right to abortion was dependent on the current demographic policy. In the time of overpopulation, abortion was allowed and contraception was promoted. In stark contrast, there were times with low population or with military expansion ambitions where abortion was criminalized in favor of women giving birth to as many soldiers as possible. Thus, women's bodies were commodified for the prosperity of the nation. Since reproductive rights were determined by the demographic climate and not by the government's acceptance of women's rights as human rights, the right to abortion was always at the threat of being banned. In contrast with western feminists, Japanese feminists did not have to fight as hard to legalize abortion. However, they did have to fight to keep it. They also had to reconnect the ideology of motherhood that they did not deny with the advocacy for abortion. While western feminists attained the oral contraceptive pill relatively early, Japanese feminists had to advocate and fight for it almost 30 years before the pill was finally legalized in Japan.
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