Commentary / World Feb 4, 2021
China’s latest celebrity scandal hits a raw nerve
by Adam Minter
The ex-boyfriend of popular Chinese actress Zheng Shuang said on social media that she had abandoned him with two surrogate children in the U.S.
World / Social Issues Jan 29, 2021
‘Declaration of War’: Protesters in Poland vow to fight abortion ban
by Monika Pronczuk, Isabella Kwai and Anatol Magdziarz
Women’s rights advocates and allies in Poland vowed Thursday to continue to fight a near-total ban on abortion, calling it a breach of human rights and a sign that the country is regressing.
National / Science & Health Dec 27, 2020
'DM if interested': Sperm donors in Japan operate in a gray zone
by Tomohiro Osaki
With the system discouraging the use of donated semen, those who desperately want children are often left to look at less conventional routes to conception.
National / Social Issues Dec 27, 2020
Japan's unmarried and LGBT citizens forced to use foreign sperm banks
While some laws relating to better fertility treatment have been enacted, the buying and selling of eggs and sperm is still to be debated.
National Dec 27, 2020
Lawmaker Noda's struggle with infertility fueled her push for change
by Magdalena Osumi
Although treatment options and access to care have expanded, the stigma associated with infertility has for decades made women keep their struggles under wraps.
National / Social Issues Dec 23, 2020
In Japan, children of sperm donors want to know their ancestry
by Tomohiro Osaki
Donor-conceived offspring are increasingly taking issue with the anonymity conferred on donors by medical institutions, citing a global trend toward giving access to information.
National Nov 28, 2020
Couples are likelier to have more than one child when fathers are actively involved in child-rearing and housework, a government survey has found. While only 50% of couples in which fathers did not actively participate in child-rearing and housework had two or more children, the ...
National / Media | MEDIA MIX Nov 14, 2020
Subsidizing fertility treatment leaves Japanese gynecologists in a bind
by Philip Brasor
Fertility treatments are not covered by national health insurance because, in most cases, infertility is not defined as an ailment.
National / Social Issues Oct 27, 2020
Deputy minister Junko Mihara vows to amplify women's voices on health care
by Magdalena Osumi
The 56-year-old lawmaker wants better provision for younger women who face challenges with fertility and other issues similar to those she has encountered.
National Oct 25, 2020
The government will release an initial estimate in December before finalizing the figure next year but it is likely to strike a record low for the fifth consecutive year.
National | FYI Oct 18, 2020
Infertility treatment plans shed light on struggles faced by couples
by Magdalena Osumi
As well as a lack of understanding in society, people often have to deal with physical burden, emotional struggle and financial constraints.
National / Politics Oct 17, 2020
Lawmakers weigh bill to recognize birth mother status in Japan
The ruling coalition and an opposition party are considering introducing a bill to recognize that the woman who gives birth to a child as the mother in cases where she uses a third person's egg, informed sources said Friday. The ruling Liberal Democratic Party, its ...