The Public Health Council drafted a report June 16 that effectively approves low-hormone birth control pills on condition that measures against the spread of sexually transmitted diseases be strengthened.

The council, comprising 17 academics and medical experts, concluded in its third meeting that it is difficult to determine the pill's effect on trends in sexually transmitted diseases using other nations' data, and proper education about diseases is more important. The six-page report, finalized in front of more than 60 observers including members of women's organizations, lists conditions for approving the pill. The key conditions are better public education on sexually transmitted diseases, physicians' training on the pill's prescription and surveys on sexually transmitted diseases following the pill's approval.

"(With this report) we have cleared a big hurdle," said Dr. Kunio Kitamura, director of the Japan Family Planning Association. "From now on, the ministry is likely to smoothly move toward approving the pill," Kitamura said. Approval ends nearly seven years of deliberations.