How does the abortion system work in Japan?

I'll keep this short.

What is the process for an abortion in Japan? Especially for non-Japanese residents. Is it required absolutely that a woman have consent of her husband even if the husband is not Japanese and does not reside in Japan? How much does it cost usually?

Any details would be greatly appreciated. Sorry to bring up a very sensitive topic, but without posting details, it is a rather difficult situation.

How does this work in Japan? Thank you.

HelpMePlease said:

I'll keep this short.
What is the process for an abortion in Japan? Especially for non-Japanese residents. Is it required absolutely that a woman have consent of her husband even if the husband is not Japanese and does not reside in Japan? How much does it cost usually?
Any details would be greatly appreciated. Sorry to bring up a very sensitive topic, but without posting details, it is a rather difficult situation.
How does this work in Japan? Thank you.

Click to expand...

Firstly, there is no process to have an abortion here by your own will. It is against the law unless there is imminent danger of the mother being harmed by the pregnancy (窶｢ﾃｪ窶佚娯?｢ﾃ崘津ｬ窶邸). You can serve time here for having an illegal abortion under this law.

The law states this,
"窶｢ﾃｪ窶佚娯?｢ﾃ崘津ｬ窶邸窶堙坂?啀窶售ﾂ湘ｰ窶堙?「窶戰ﾂ娠窶堙固恥窶伉ｱ窶凪?昶?堙坂?｢ﾂｪ窶｢ﾃ倪?堋ｪﾂ身窶佚娯?廬窶凪?昶?堙最弛ﾂ催鞘?廬窶板昶?燃窶堙俄?堙ｦ窶堙ｨ窶｢ﾃｪ窶佚娯?堙固停?卍康窶堙ｰ窶厖懌?堋ｵ窶堋ｭﾅ?Q窶堋ｷ窶堙ｩ窶堋ｨ窶堋ｻ窶堙ｪ窶堙娯?堋?窶堙ｩﾂ」ﾂ湘ｪﾂ坂?｡窶堙嫁津?窶堙ｨﾂ人ﾂ工窶吮??ﾂ静｢窶堙ｰ窶ｹ窶凪?堋ｵ窶堙??堋｢窶堙ｩ窶堙ｭ窶堋ｯ窶堙??堋ｷ窶堋ｩ窶堙ｧﾂ、窶堋ｱ窶堙娯?牌ﾅ陳鞘?堙ｰ窶毒ｾ窶堋ｽ窶堋ｳ窶堙遺?堋ｯ窶堙ｪ窶堙篠、ﾅ陳ｴ窶伉･窶堙俄?禿溪?堙≫?堙??佚や?佚卍催溪?堙??堙遺?堙ｨ窶堙懌?堋ｷﾂ。" What this is saying is that you have to prove that the mothers health will suffer markedly due to financial or physical factors in relation to giving birth.

If you can't prove this, then having an abortion is illegal.

Maternal Health Protection Law

In 1997, the Maternal Health Protection Law was greatly revised and many restrictions from previous Eugenic Protection Law were removed.

In 2006, Article 14 of the Maternal Health Protection Law was revised. Under the revised law, approved doctors can virtually practice abortion to anyone, if consent was given by the mother.[11] If a mother is married to a spouse, consent is also required from the spouse, but there are exemptions, such as, if spouse is missing or unable to give consent.[11] Despite the fact this law requires a valid reasons to carry out abortion, virtually any mother is applicable for socioeconomic abortion, as it can be carried out unconditionally. Another valid reasons for abortion includes rape and health problem. Doctors must send anonymous reports to the prefectural government after conducting abortion for health or socioeconomic reasons.[12]

Abortion in Japan - Wikipedia


Abortion in Japan is apparently restrictive for the legally technical reason that an earlier law is still on the statute books; but in practice Japan has a permissive system. It is perhaps even more routine than in America.

When I last read about this, I found that it was quite expensive - in the 100,000yen range.

Can anyone confirm this ?