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July 24, 2026
 

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PREGNANCY

Hitoshi Kato (left), head of San-ikukai Hospital in Tokyo's Sumida Ward, speaks during a news conference at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government building on Thursday.
51勛圖厙 / Society
Jul 3, 2026
Tokyo hospital baby hatch accepts 20 newborns in first year
Seven of the babies were born under conditions of confidentiality, with only a few hospital workers knowing their mothers＊ identities.
A Tokyo Pride parade participant holds a sign that says "we want to be a married couple, not a couple."
51勛圖厙 / Society / FOCUS
Jun 29, 2026
Japan＊s fertility system offers few safe paths for same-sex couples
LGBTQ+ people in Japan face such limited fertility treatment options, they could ultimately be deprived of the right to safely start a family.
Yudai Togitani speaks to reporters in Ichinomiya, Aichi Prefecture, on Thursday after a ruling was handed down on a woman who killed his wife and left his child disabled in a car accident.
51勛圖厙 / Crime & Legal
Jun 18, 2026
Driver jailed for killing pregnant woman, leaving unborn child with disability
Prosecutors had difficulty interpreting the existing law to regard a fetus as a victim independent from the mother.
The Kyoto District Court in the city of Kyoto heard a complaint Wednesday from a man who says his estranged wife presented someone else's sperm as his and was able to undergo successful fertility treatment using it without his awareness.
51勛圖厙 / Crime & Legal
Jun 4, 2026
Man sues hospital after wife gives birth using someone else＊s sperm
The woman was sentenced in April 2025 for forging the man＊s consent form, but the hospital said it gave adequate explanation and that the man＊s claims are incorrect.
Expectant mothers who were exposed to severe heat during their 19th week of pregnancy faced a 16% higher risk of preterm birth than those who were not, a study found.
51勛圖厙 / Science & Health
Jun 4, 2026
Extreme heat raises risk of preterm births, research shows
Findings indicate that women are particularly susceptible to the effects of heat between the 16th and 22nd weeks of pregnancy.
Asako Mito, head of the preconception care center at the National Center for Child Health and Development, said the number of high-risk pregnancies and childbirths due to such factors as advanced age, being underweight or obesity is increasing in Japan.
51勛圖厙 / Society
Jun 3, 2026
Japan promotes preconception care amid falling birthrates
Preconception care, an initiative aimed at encouraging people to acquire knowledge on pregnancy and childbirth, has been part of government policy since 2018.
Noninvasive prenatal testing has gained popularity as an alternative to conventional tests due to its lower stress levels for mothers.
51勛圖厙
Jun 1, 2026
More pregnant women in Japan undergo prenatal checkups
Noninvasive prenatal testing has gained popularity as an alternative to conventional tests due to its lower stress levels for mothers.
Health minister Kenichiro Ueno at an Upper House plenary session following the passage of a bill to reform the nation's health care insurance system
51勛圖厙 / Science & Health
May 29, 2026
Japan passes bill to raise co-payments for prescription drugs similar to OTC counterparts
The health ministry plans to require individuals to bear additional costs for some 1,100 over-the-counter-like prescription drugs starting in March 2027.
Following approval by the health ministry, Daiichi Sankyo Healthcare's Norlevo went on sale at drugstores on Feb. 2, becoming the first emergency contraception available over the counter in Japan.
51勛圖厙 / Society
May 2, 2026
High costs and lack of privacy slow uptake of OTC emergency contraceptives
Having to receive explanations about the pill from pharmacists and take it in front of them poses significant hurdles for buyers seeking anonymity.
Izumisano Mayor Hiroyasu Chiyomatsu inspects the baby hatch at Jikei Hospital in the city of Kumamoto on Feb. 10.
51勛圖厙
Apr 30, 2026
City in Osaka Prefecture seeks early launch of its own ＆baby hatch＊ system
The city of Izumisano＊s initiative reflects Mayor Hiroyasu Chiyomatsu＊s strong belief that the city must serve as ※a stronghold for protecting lives.§
Experts are warning that some common claims about birth control pills' side effects represent misinformation 〞 and that methods based on tracking fertility require strict adherence to be effective.
WORLD / Science & Health / FOCUS
Apr 25, 2026
＆Natural＊ birth control risks unwanted pregnancy, experts warn
Helping drive this trend are influencers, who often promote natural birth control as a way for women to ※liberate§ themselves from the hormonal effects of the pill.
Many mothers have difficulty preparing child care products for their babies as they cannot work as much as they want due to pregnancy or childbirth.
51勛圖厙 / Society
Apr 24, 2026
Half of disadvantaged mothers in Japan lack child care products, survey finds
When asked about concerns, 88% of respondents said they could not work as much as they wanted to due to pregnancy or childbirth.
Kie Kanda (center), a Japan International Cooperation Agency official, shows a maternal and child health handbook in the Mustang district in Nepal last October.﹛
51勛圖厙
Apr 22, 2026
Japan-backed group to distribute maternal handbooks in Nepal
The Japan International Cooperation Agency hopes to encourage continuous care and reduce the death rates of mothers and children in Nepal.
Masako Sugami holds a coffin made for stillborn babies, in Yokkaichi, Mie Prefecture.
51勛圖厙 / Society / Regional voices: Chubu
Apr 20, 2026
Mie nurse aims to provide coffins to grieving mothers of stillborn babies
※Even if their lives were short, their existence has value,§ the 66-year-old nurse said of the children, who normally are given to parents in paper boxes.
From Wednesday, vaccines to prevent respiratory syncytial virus will be administered to women in their 28th to 36th weeks of pregnancy in Japan to protect their unborn children from the virus.
51勛圖厙 / Science & Health
Mar 30, 2026
Japan to begin RSV vaccinations during pregnancy to protect infants
The vaccine will be administered to women in their 28th to 36th weeks of pregnancy to immunize their babies, with costs primarily covered by public funds.
When reducing?labor pain with epidural anesthetic and other drugs, the method of continuously administering drugs was commonly adopted in the past.
51勛圖厙 / Science & Health
Mar 26, 2026
Babies＊ health not affected by epidurals, study says
The results offer the choice of ※painless delivery with peace of mind,§ the doctor leading the study said.
Japan is moving to make child deliveries free of charge in an effort to tackle the declining birth rate.
51勛圖厙 / Society
Mar 13, 2026
Japan moves to cover full cost of child delivery with public health insurance
The measure, aimed at tackling the nation＊s declining birth rate, was approved in a Cabinet meeting on Friday, with implementation eyed by fiscal 2028.
Lesoeru 72, which is priced at ?6,930 per tablet, must be taken within 72 hours of intercourse.
51勛圖厙 / Science & Health
Mar 10, 2026
Second morning-after pill now available over the counter in Japan
Lesoeru 72, which went on sale on Monday, joins NorLevo as the country＊s only two emergency contraceptive medications that do not need a doctor＊s prescription.
More than 60% of single men and women don't want to have children amid concerns over the economic burden of child-rearing, a survey showed.
51勛圖厙 / Society
Mar 6, 2026
Over 60% of Japan＊s unmarried young people do not want children, survey says
Rohto Pharmaceutical polled online 400 unmarried men and women between ages 18 and 29 as part of its annual survey on pregnancy and family planning.
St. Luke's International Hospital in Tokyo's Chuo Ward
51勛圖厙 / Science & Health
Feb 18, 2026
Two women in Japan give birth after frozen ovarian transplants
It is rare that post-transplant pregnancies and childbirths by those who entered menopause due to cancer treatment have been closely monitored.
Japan scientists identify clusters of protein believed to trigger Alzheimer＊s disease
A team of researchers said they found a ※seed§ that accelerates the amyloid beta accumulation process in the brain, naming it ※Peak 1 amyloid beta,§ as seen in a mouse's brain.
Indian brothers make manga debut in Japan
Two Indian brothers made their manga debut in Japan with "Kung Fu Kung Fool" 〞 an action-comedy series that follows the adventures of a notorious thief and a young boy.
Japan weighs regulating Pokemon cards amid trading mania
A Pokemon event is held in Jakarta on July 11
Low-income families in Japan cut food and air conditioning during summer break
Yumiko Watanabe, the chairperson of nonprofit Kidsdoor, explains the results of a survey in Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward on July 1.
The sci-fi sensibilities of electronic trio Black Boboi
Black Boboi was formed in 2018 when solo artists Julia Shortreed, Utena Kobayashi and Ermhoi came together under Kobayashi＊s newly founded label, Bindividual.
A perfect storm: Kaze Fujii fans flock to Fuji Rock
Okayama-born singer-songwriter Kaze Fujii has carved out a distinctive place in Japanese pop since his major-label debut in 2019.
Can Japanese comedy get laughs in English? Yoshimoto Kogyo lets the jokes rip
Wes-P has millions of followers and his viral clips made him recognizable out of Japan.
The 180-day locals: Life on Japan＊s digital nomad visa
Christopher Flinn works remotely from Tokyo earlier this month. Japan issued 646 digital nomad visas in 2025, but tourism officials are hoping to increase that figure in the coming years, with Japan's relatively cheap cost of living and the weak yen seen as potential draws for young professionals.
Japan reveals hint of new defense spending target in fiscal blueprint
The Self-Defense Forces' Type 16 mobile combat vehicle fires during a joint live-fire drill with U.S. Marines as part of the annual Resolute Dragon exercises in Yufu, Oita Prefecture, on June 28.

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Kabukicho: Tokyo＊s ＆stadium of desire＊

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