The Environment Ministry has decided to remove pregnant women from the list of people with conditions considered unfit for soaking in "onsen," citing a lack of scientific evidence that hot springs have an adverse impact on pregnancy.
The ministry said it asked experts to re-examine pregnancy because it was unclear how it was included on the list, drawn up 32 years ago, and found there were no medical papers or studies indicating soaking in onsen leads to premature birth or miscarriage.
The ministry will also notify prefectures across the country by this summer to delete pregnancy from notices posted at hot spring facilities and other places.