Contraception and Emergency Contraception in Japan

Contraception in Japan is open to every resident, but the pill and IUDs need a doctor's visit and are paid out of pocket, because public health insurance does not cover contraception.¹² Since 2 February 2026, the morning-after pill can also be bought without a prescription at listed pharmacies, where a trained pharmacist hands it over and you take it on the spot.³⁴

Confirm current details with official sources

Procedures, fees, and requirements can change. Confirm current details at the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (厚生労働省, MHLW) site. This article is general information, not medical advice; for questions about your own health or choice of method, consult a licensed physician, such as a gynecologist (産婦人科医, sanfujinka-i).

Overview

Japan's regulated market offers combined low-dose oral contraceptive pills, a progestin-only pill, the hormonal IUS (Mirena) and IUDs, condoms, levonorgestrel emergency contraception, and sterilization under statutory conditions (as of October 2026; confirm current figures with the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare).^5678910 Oral contraceptives were first approved in June 1999 and went on sale that September.⁵

None of the national rules on drug approval, emergency-contraception sales, online consultation, personal import, or sterilization sets a nationality or residence-status condition.^11121310 Condoms and sterilization concern people of any sex; the pill, IUD, IUS, and emergency contraception are used by women, and the pharmacy morning-after pill is sold only to the person who will take it.^1441510

The core money rule: medical insurance pays for illness, injury, death, or childbirth, and the Government has stated it does not intend to cover low-dose pills taken for contraception.¹

The exception is treatment. When a doctor prescribes the same type of hormone pill, called LEP (low-dose estrogen-progestin combination drug), for dysmenorrhea (月経困難症, gekkei konnan-shō, painful periods), it counts as treating an illness and insurance applies.⁵

Methods available in Japan

Low-dose oral contraceptive pill

The low-dose pill is prescription-only. A physician-authored municipal health column advises getting it prescribed through a clinic that lists gynecology, rather than ordering it from an online shop without a prescription.⁸⁵ Combined pills contain an estrogen and a progestin (黄体ホルモン, ōtai horumon).⁵

A progestin-only pill is now also on the market. Slinda (スリンダ, drospirenone, Aska Pharmaceutical) launched on 30 June 2025 as an oral contraceptive with no estrogen component, and it is not listed on the national drug price list (as of July 2025; confirm current figures with the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare).⁶ The same municipal column describes progestin-only "mini pills" as newly on sale in Japan.⁵

Online services list the pill types they carry. Smaluna, for example, offers low-dose, ultra-low-dose, mini (progestin-only), and mid-dose pills (as of October 2026).¹⁶

OC and LEP: same hormones, different purpose

Japanese clinics distinguish two uses of the same kind of pill:

Term	Reading	Meaning	Insurance
経口避妊薬 (OC)	keikō hinin-yaku	Oral contraceptive	Self-pay5
低用量ピル	teiyōryō piru	"Low-dose pill", the everyday term	Self-pay when used for contraception5
低用量エストロゲン・プロゲスチン配合薬 (LEP)	teiyōryō esutorogen purogesuchin haigōyaku	Low-dose estrogen-progestin combination drug, prescribed to treat a condition	Insurance-covered for a diagnosed condition5
ミニピル	mini piru	Mini pill (progestin-only)	Self-pay for contraception56

Organon's June 2026 notice shows how close the two can be. Mercilon (マルシロン配合錠, desogestrel 0.15 mg / ethinylestradiol 0.02 mg) was approved as an LEP for dysmenorrhea, while Marvelon, with the same ingredients at a different estrogen dose (0.03 mg), is approved for contraception; the notice marks Mercilon as not yet price-listed and in preparation for launch (as of June 2026).¹⁷

A public hospital's March 2026 newsletter lists LEP and Mirena among its dysmenorrhea treatments, naming Friwel LD, Friwel ULD, and Yaz Flex as the LEPs it prescribes (as of March 2026).¹⁸ Whether a pill is prescribed as OC or LEP is a medical decision tied to a diagnosis, not a billing choice.⁵

IUD and hormonal IUS

Two intrauterine options exist. The hormonal IUS, Mirena 52mg (ミレーナ, Bayer Yakuhin), was approved for contraception on 26 January 2007; heavy menstrual bleeding (過多月経, kata gekkei) was added as an indication in June 2014 and dysmenorrhea in November 2014.⁷ IUDs other than Mirena are also inserted: a municipal hospital's fee table lists IUD insertion separately from Mirena, though it does not name the device, and the specific IUD models currently marketed in Japan were not verified for this article.²

Both are inserted at obstetrics and gynecology clinics. A municipal hospital's self-pay fee table lists IUD insertion, Mirena, and IUD or Mirena removal as self-pay items (as of 1 June 2026).² Because Mirena also has approved treatment indications, a public hospital lists it as a dysmenorrhea treatment (as of March 2026).¹⁸⁷

Term	Reading	Meaning
子宮内避妊システム (IUS)	shikyūnai hinin shisutemu	Intrauterine contraceptive system, the hormonal type such as Mirena27
子宮内避妊具 (IUD)	shikyūnai hinin-gu	Intrauterine contraceptive device8
過多月経	kata gekkei	Heavy menstrual bleeding7

Condoms

Condoms are Japan's most-used method. In the 2020 Japan Sex Survey, run by the Japan Family Planning Association with condom maker JEX, 58.4% of respondents named condoms as their main current method (66.8% of men, 50.4% of women), followed by withdrawal at 19.7% (as of the 2020 survey).¹⁹ The survey itself notes that withdrawal is not a contraceptive method.¹⁹

An undated university health-clinic information sheet states that female condoms and spermicides are not currently sold in Japan; no government source was found to confirm this.⁸

Methods not approved in Japan

Some methods available in other countries may not be offered in Japan. An undated university health-clinic information sheet states that the contraceptive injection, skin patch, and subdermal implant are not approved in Japan.⁸ Treat that as a guide rather than a definitive regulatory list, and ask a gynecologist before relying on it.

For emergency contraception, the active ingredient sold in Japan is levonorgestrel. Both over-the-counter products contain levonorgestrel 1.5 mg, and the MHLW emergency-contraception page names levonorgestrel as the active ingredient (as of October 2026).⁹²⁰

Getting a prescription

At a gynecology clinic

Look for a clinic marked 婦人科 (fujinka, gynecology) or 産婦人科 (sanfujinka, obstetrics and gynecology). A physician-authored municipal column recommends a clinic that lists gynecology.⁵ The sign conventions are covered in Specialty Department Signs: Reading Japan Clinic Placards.

The first visit centres on a medical interview (問診, monshin). According to a 2010 clinical article, a 2005 revision of Japan's OC guideline simplified pre-prescription checks to the interview plus mandatory blood-pressure measurement, removing excessive self-pay tests.²¹ Current guideline wording was not available for this article, so expect your clinic's routine to vary.

Your health history matters. Estrogen raises the risk of venous thrombosis, which is why progestin-only pills can be used by people aged 40 and over and by smokers, and why they carry a lower clotting risk than combined pills.⁵⁶ Which method suits you is a question for the gynecologist.

Bring your health insurance card. Contraceptive pills are self-pay, but if the doctor diagnoses dysmenorrhea and prescribes LEP, that treatment is insured.⁵

Some clinics serve English speakers. Tokyo Business Clinic, with five branches at Tokyo, Ueno, and Chiba stations, publishes its pill prices in English and advertises 365-day, evening, and weekend hours (as of October 2026; confirm current details with the clinic).²²

Term	Reading	Meaning
産婦人科	sanfujinka	Obstetrics and gynecology23
婦人科	fujinka	Gynecology5
自由診療 / 自費診療	jiyū shinryō / jihi shinryō	Self-pay (uninsured) care224
問診	monshin	Medical interview or questionnaire21

Online prescription services

Online medical consultation (オンライン診療, onrain shinryō) is governed by MHLW's guideline on the proper conduct of online consultation, last revised in April 2026.¹² Pill services use video consultation and then ship pill packs to your home.

Two examples, both confirmed operating in October 2026:

• Smaluna (スマルナ): video consultation bookable 24 hours a day, consultation fee ¥0, earliest next-day delivery, self-pay only, users aged 18 and over (as of October 2026).¹⁶
• Clinic For (クリニックフォア): online consultation fee ¥1,650 and shipping ¥550 per delivery, plus more than 20 physical clinics (as of October 2026).²⁵

Clinic For publishes English and Chinese versions of its website, but neither service states on the pages checked that consultations are held in English.²⁵¹⁶ That is an absence of a statement, not a confirmation that English is unavailable, so ask before booking.

Costs

Why contraception is self-pay

Public medical insurance pays benefits for illness, injury, death, or childbirth. Contraception is none of these, and the Government has stated it does not intend to cover low-dose pills taken for contraception.¹ Insurance details beyond contraception are covered in What Insurance Doesn't Cover.

The line falls at diagnosis. LEP prescribed for dysmenorrhea is covered as treatment of illness, and Mirena has approved treatment indications (heavy menstrual bleeding, dysmenorrhea) as well as contraception.⁵⁷ One gynecology clinic's explainer states that emergency contraception at a clinic is, in principle, self-pay care.²⁴

The decision path looks like this:

Typical price bands

Clinics set their own self-pay prices, so there is no national tariff. Every figure below is one provider's published price, current as of the date shown (as of October 2026 for most rows; confirm current figures with each clinic or service).^222251624

Item	Provider (type)	Amount	As of	Notes
Low-dose pill, per pack (Labelfille, Favoir)	Tokyo Business Clinic (in person)	¥2,860 incl. tax	2026-1022
Low-dose pill, per pack (Triquilar, Marvelon)	Tokyo Business Clinic (in person)	¥3,190 incl. tax	2026-1022
Consultation fee	Tokyo Business Clinic	¥6,400 incl. tax	2026-1022
Low-dose pill, per sheet	Clinic For (online or in person)	¥3,278	2026-1025
Online consultation / shipping	Clinic For	¥1,650 / ¥550	2026-1025
Low-dose pill, per sheet	Smaluna (online)	¥2,980–3,380	2026-1016
Consultation / shipping	Smaluna	¥0 / ¥550	2026-1016
IUD insertion	Kawasaki Municipal Kawasaki Hospital	¥29,770	2026-06-012	Listed as a separate line from Mirena
Mirena (子宮内避妊システム)	Kawasaki Municipal Kawasaki Hospital	¥53,430	2026-06-012	Table does not say whether insertion is billed on top
IUD or Mirena removal	Kawasaki Municipal Kawasaki Hospital	¥15,620	2026-06-012
Emergency contraception, Norlevo	Pharmacy (suggested retail price)	¥7,480 incl. tax	2026-022627	No prescription
Emergency contraception, Lesoeru72	Pharmacy (suggested retail price)	¥6,930 incl. tax	2026-032028	No prescription
Emergency contraception via clinic, incl. consultation	Market range stated by one clinic	About ¥7,000–20,000	2025-1024
Emergency contraception via online service	Smaluna	¥10,000–12,480	2026-1016

Taken together, a monthly pill pack runs about ¥2,900–3,400, plus a consultation fee of ¥0 to ¥6,400 depending on the provider (as of October 2026).²²²⁵¹⁶ Before the February 2026 launch, pharmacy pilot sales of emergency contraception had ranged from ¥7,000 to ¥9,000 (as of January 2026).²⁶

Emergency contraception

The emergency contraceptive pill is called 緊急避妊薬 (kinkyū hinin-yaku) in Japanese, and colloquially アフターピル (afutā piru, "after pill").⁹⁴ You can get it two ways: over the counter at a listed pharmacy, or by prescription after a clinic or online consultation.

Buying it at a pharmacy without a prescription

Sales without a prescription began on 2 February 2026 at listed pharmacies and drugstores.³⁴ The first product, Norlevo, was approved for the switch to over-the-counter sale on 20 October 2025.²⁹³⁰ A pharmacy pilot study came before this regime, and the approved sales system was set up the same way as the FY2024 study.¹¹³¹

MHLW's August 2025 review materials proposed the approval conditions: a post-marketing safety survey of at least three years, and sale only by pharmacists trained in emergency contraception at pharmacies or drugstores meeting set conditions (as of August 2025; confirm current figures with the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare).³¹ The same materials judged an age limit unnecessary, did not require parental consent, made in-person sale and on-the-spot dosing mandatory, and said MHLW would review the sales method later.³¹ Those materials are labelled as a proposal; the operational notice MHLW later issued matches them on each of these points.¹¹

Two products are on sale:

• Norlevo (ノルレボ): made by Aska Pharmaceutical, sold by Daiichi Sankyo Healthcare; suggested retail price ¥7,480 including tax per tablet (as of February 2026).¹⁴²⁶²⁷
• Lesoeru72 (レソエル72): approval held by Fuji Pharma, sold by Alinamin Pharmaceutical; launched 9 March 2026 at a suggested retail price of ¥6,930 including tax (as of March 2026).²⁰²⁸

The legal category changed after launch. Emergency contraception went on sale in February 2026 as a 要指導医薬品 (yō-shidō iyakuhin, guidance-required drug), sold in person only.

The October 2025 approval had already designated it a 特定要指導医薬品 (tokutei yō-shidō iyakuhin, specified guidance-required drug), but that category only took legal effect on 1 May 2026; since then it has been classed as a specified guidance-required drug that cannot be sold online (as of May 2026).^323142930 MHLW's pharmacy list and the PMDA label still use the broader term 要指導医薬品 (as of October 2026).³¹⁴ How these categories relate to ordinary drugstore medicine is explained in OTC vs. Prescription Drugs in Japan.

Only pharmacies and drugstores that meet three requirements may sell it (as of April 2026):¹¹³³

1. A pharmacist who completed the Japan Pharmacists Education Center (日本薬剤師研修センター, Nihon Yakuzaishi Kenshū Sentā) e-learning course is on duty.
2. The store has adequate privacy and drinking water for taking the pill.
3. The store has a cooperation arrangement with nearby obstetrics and gynecology clinics.

MHLW lists these stores: about 7,000 were listed as of 31 January 2026, and about 9,100 as of 20 February 2026.²⁷²⁸³

The purchase follows a fixed sequence (as of April 2026):^1114431

In practice:

• Who can buy: only the person who will take it; no one can buy on your behalf (as of February 2026).⁴¹⁵
• What you need: no prescription, no parental consent, and no age limit (as of February 2026).²⁷³⁰³¹
• Age and ID: the pharmacist asks every buyer's age, but checking ID documents is not necessarily required; where age cannot be confirmed, the pharmacist gives more careful guidance (as of April 2026).¹¹³¹
• Records: the pharmacy keeps the checklist and sales record for two years (as of April 2026).¹¹

The pill is taken at the counter, not at home

The label instructs that one tablet is received from the pharmacist within 72 hours after intercourse and swallowed on the spot. If you do not agree to take it in the pharmacy, the sale is refused (as of April 2026).¹⁴¹¹

Pharmacists also have support duties. These are referral obligations, not purchase restrictions, and they apply whether or not the sale goes ahead (as of April 2026):¹¹³¹

• Buyers under 16 and repeat buyers (as a guide, twice or more in three months): the pharmacist recommends a visit to an obstetrics and gynecology or pediatrics clinic for contraceptive guidance.
• Under 18 with suspected abuse: the pharmacist notifies the child guidance center (児童相談所, jidō sōdanjo).
• Suspected victims of sexual crime: with consent, the pharmacist refers you to a One-Stop Support Center (ワンストップ支援センター, wan sutoppu shien sentā) for victims of sexual crime and violence; otherwise the pharmacist hands over a leaflet with contacts. If evidence needs preserving, the pharmacist discusses referral to a gynecologist and consulting the police with you.

Term	Reading	Meaning
緊急避妊薬	kinkyū hinin-yaku	Emergency contraceptive9
アフターピル	afutā piru	"After pill", colloquial4
要指導医薬品	yō-shidō iyakuhin	Guidance-required drug: over the counter, but needs pharmacist guidance3
特定要指導医薬品	tokutei yō-shidō iyakuhin	Specified guidance-required drug: in person only, no online sale32
特定販売	tokutei hanbai	Remote (internet or mail) sale by a licensed pharmacy or drugstore32
面前服用	menzen fukuyō	Taking the pill in front of the pharmacist31
店舗販売業	tenpo hanbai-gyō	Store-based drug seller (drugstore)11
児童相談所	jidō sōdanjo	Child guidance center11

Clinic and telemedicine prescription route

Prescription emergency contraception is still available at clinics. MHLW publishes per-prefecture lists of obstetrics and gynecology facilities that can provide it in person (as of 8 October 2026).²³ How dispensing works on the pharmacy side is explained in How Japanese Pharmacies Work.

Getting it online from the first visit is an exception, not the default. Under the April 2026 guideline, a women's health consultation service normally refers you to an in-person facility on MHLW's list; online care from the first visit may be allowed where geography makes in-person care difficult, or where a doctor linked to such a service judges it difficult given your psychological state (as of April 2026).¹²

When the online route applies, the rules are specific (as of April 2026):¹²²³

• The doctor must be an obstetrician-gynecologist or have completed MHLW-designated training.
• One tablet only, issued as an outside prescription (院外処方, ingai shohō).
• A trained pharmacist dispenses it at a pharmacy, and you take it in front of that pharmacist.
• An in-person gynecology visit about three weeks later must be arranged.
• In possible sexual-assault cases, the doctor encourages a police consultation, refers you to a One-Stop Support Center, and notifies the child guidance center for suspected abuse of someone under 18.

The online first-visit path runs like this:¹²

The key difference from the over-the-counter route is that first-visit online emergency contraception is not mailed to you; you collect it at a pharmacy and take it there.¹² MHLW keeps a separate list of pharmacies and pharmacists able to dispense for online consultations (as of 17 September 2026).³⁴ Online pill services do list emergency-contraception products and prices, but how they dispense them was not verified for this article.¹⁶

Timing and effectiveness

Take it within 72 hours of intercourse, and the sooner the better. Daiichi Sankyo Healthcare's launch release reports an 81% pregnancy-prevention rate when taken within 72 hours, with a higher rate expected the earlier it is taken.¹⁴⁴

It is not fully effective. Confirm whether you are pregnant with a test or clinic visit three weeks after taking it, and the pharmacist may suggest buying a pregnancy test at the same time (as of April 2026).¹⁴¹¹

The label's listed side effects include nausea or vomiting, lower abdominal pain, headache, drowsiness, dizziness, irregular genital bleeding, and menstrual irregularity. It also tells breastfeeding users either not to take it or to avoid nursing for at least 24 hours afterwards.¹⁴ A physician is the right person to ask about anything beyond these general points.

No source specifically addresses weekend and holiday access. MHLW's general advice applies: phone the pharmacy before going, to confirm stock and that a trained pharmacist is on duty (as of October 2026).³

Keep the MHLW pharmacy list bookmarked

The 72-hour window leaves little time to search. Note the listed pharmacies near your home and workplace in advance, so that confirming stock and a trained pharmacist takes a single phone call.³

Bringing contraceptives from abroad

Bringing medicine with you counts as personal import, the same as ordering it from overseas.¹³ Without a certificate, you may import up to one month's supply of a prescription drug by dosage, two months of other drugs, and 24 standard-size units per item of external-use drugs (as of October 2026; confirm current figures with the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare).¹³

A year of pills needs a certificate

A one-month supply is the limit for prescription drugs brought in without paperwork. Importing more requires an import confirmation certificate (as of October 2026).¹³

Since 1 September 2020, the 輸入確認証 (yunyū kakunin-shō, import confirmation certificate) has replaced the older 薬監証明 (yakkan shōmei), a name still common in English guides.¹³ The application process is covered in The Yakkan Shomei Import Certificate. Inquiries go to the 薬事監視指導課 (yakuji kanshi shidō-ka, pharmaceutical affairs monitoring and guidance division) of the Kanto-Shinetsu or Kinki regional health bureau, chosen by the customs area where the goods arrive (as of October 2026).¹³

Plan ahead if you use a method Japan may not offer. An undated university health-clinic information sheet states the injection, patch, and implant are not approved in Japan, so a domestic supply to continue them should not be expected; a gynecologist can discuss alternatives available in Japan.⁸

MHLW's consumer site warns that "personal import agent" websites advertising unapproved medicines are acting illegally, and advises checking a seller's name, address, and phone number before buying.³⁵

Term	Reading	Meaning
輸入確認証	yunyū kakunin-shō	Import confirmation certificate, the current name13
薬監証明	yakkan shōmei	Former name of the certificate13
個人輸入	kojin yunyū	Personal import13

Good to know

Not every pharmacy sells the morning-after pill

Only stores on MHLW's list may sell it. The list updates once a month, early in the month, and stores can be removed, so phone ahead to check stock and that a trained pharmacist is on duty (as of October 2026; confirm current figures with the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare).³

Store type is not the test. A drugstore can sell it if it meets the three requirements, including having a trained pharmacist on duty (as of April 2026).¹¹ Osaka Prefecture asks that the phone call be made by the person who will take the pill (as of March 2026).¹⁵

The same pill can be priced two ways

A pill for contraception is self-pay, while LEP for diagnosed dysmenorrhea is insured.⁵¹ The ingredients can be identical: Marvelon is approved for contraception, while Mercilon, with the same ingredients at a lower estrogen dose, is approved as an LEP for dysmenorrhea (as of June 2026).¹⁷

Asking for LEP to save money does not work. The prescription follows the doctor's diagnosis.⁵

Online shops cannot sell emergency contraception

As a specified guidance-required drug, emergency contraception cannot be sold by internet or mail order from Japanese pharmacies or drugstores, including after the 1 May 2026 law change (as of May 2026).³² The only routes are in person at a listed pharmacy, or a prescription from a clinic or qualified online consultation.³¹²

Ordering from overseas is a separate matter. Personal import of up to one month's supply of a prescription drug for your own use is allowed by quantity, but MHLW warns that import-agent websites advertising unapproved medicines are acting illegally.¹³³⁵

Sterilization is legally restricted

The Maternal Health Act (母体保護法, Botai Hogo Hō) prohibits any surgery or radiation that makes reproduction impossible except as the Act provides.¹⁰ It defines sterilization (不妊手術, funin shujutsu) as an operation that makes reproduction impossible without removing the gonads, as specified by ministerial ordinance.¹⁰

A physician may perform it only with the person's consent and, if there is a spouse (including a de facto spouse), the spouse's consent. The conditions are that pregnancy or childbirth may endanger the mother's life, or that she already has several children and each delivery may markedly lower her health.¹⁰

Spousal consent is not needed when the spouse is unknown or cannot express their will, and a 1996 vice-ministerial notice interprets this to include a spouse who is missing in fact.³⁶ Related legal background is in Abortion in Japan: Law, Spousal Consent, and Access.

Contraception does not prevent STIs

MHLW states that the pill is for contraception and does not prevent sexually transmitted infections. Correct condom use is effective at preventing contact of semen and vaginal fluids with mucous membranes, but it does not prevent every STI.³⁷ Testing options are covered in STI Testing and Sexual Health Services in Japan.

See also

• Drugstores and Mail-Order: When Each Makes Sense
• Confirming Pregnancy and Registering at the Ward Office
• Customs on Inbound Personal Shipments
• Crisis Resources in Japan

References

Footnotes

1. 内閣総理大臣 岸田文雄. 「参議院議員浜田聡君提出更なる女性活躍に資すると考えられる低用量ピルの普及に関する質問に対する答弁書」 (第207回国会, 2021-12-28). https://www.sangiin.go.jp/japanese/joho1/kousei/syuisyo/207/touh/t207032.htm ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴

2. 川崎市立川崎病院. 「産婦人科自費診療（ご案内）」 (2026/6/1). https://www.city.kawasaki.jp/kawasaki_hospital/cmsfiles/contents/0000180/180328/4sanhujinkajihi-202606.pdf ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹

3. 厚生労働省. 「要指導医薬品である緊急避妊薬の販売が可能な薬局等の一覧」 (page updated 令和8年10月1日). https://www.mhlw.go.jp/stf/kinnkyuuhininnyaku_00005.html ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰

4. 第一三共ヘルスケア. 「日本初のOTC緊急避妊薬『ノルレボ®』を新発売 <発売日:2026年2月2日(月)>」 (press release via Digital PR Platform). https://digitalpr.jp/r/124968 ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸

5. 志木市. 『広報しき』 2026年7月号, p. 25, 「わたしたちの健康: 低用量ピル」 (牧田和也, 朝霞地区医師会). https://www.city.shiki.lg.jp/uploaded/attachment/23253.pdf ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹ ↩¹² ↩¹³ ↩¹⁴ ↩¹⁵ ↩¹⁶ ↩¹⁷ ↩¹⁸

6. 薬事日報. 「【新製品】経口避妊薬『スリンダ』発売‐血栓リスク低く あすか製薬」 (2025-07-02). https://www.yakuji.co.jp/entry119998.html ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴

7. 医薬品医療機器総合機構 (PMDA). 「一般名 レボノルゲストレル」 (product list incl. ミレーナ52mg approval history). https://www.pmda.go.jp/PmdaSearch/iyakuDetail/GeneralList/2529710 ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶

8. 立命館アジア太平洋大学 (APU) ヘルスクリニック. 「避妊法の種類」 (undated; limitation: university health-clinic sheet, not a regulatory source). https://www.apu.ac.jp/studentsupport/assets/file/healthcare/sex/Types_of_contraception_J.pdf ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶

9. 厚生労働省. 「緊急避妊薬の調剤・販売について」. https://www.mhlw.go.jp/stf/kinnkyuuhininnyaku.html ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴

10. 母体保護法 (昭和23年法律第156号), Articles 2, 3, 28, via Japanese Law Translation (Ministry of Justice). https://www.japaneselawtranslation.go.jp/en/laws/view/2603/ja ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶

11. 厚生労働省医薬局総務課・医薬品審査管理課. 「『緊急避妊薬を調剤・販売する薬剤師及び販売する薬局・店舗販売業の店舗について』の一部改正について」 (医薬総発0331第2号/医薬薬審発0331第4号, 令和8年3月31日; appends the full amended text of the 令和7年9月18日 notice 医薬総発0918第2号/医薬薬審発0918第3号). https://www.mhlw.go.jp/content/11120000/001683896.pdf ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹ ↩¹² ↩¹³

12. 厚生労働省. 「オンライン診療の適切な実施に関する指針」 (平成30年3月, 令和8年4月改訂), pp. 16–17. https://www.mhlw.go.jp/content/001685701.pdf ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷

13. 厚生労働省. 「医薬品等の個人輸入について」. https://www.mhlw.go.jp/stf/seisakunitsuite/bunya/kenkou_iryou/iyakuhin/kojinyunyu/topics/tp010401-1.html ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰

14. 医薬品医療機器総合機構 (PMDA). 「一般用医薬品・要指導医薬品 詳細表示: ノルレボ」. https://www.pmda.go.jp/PmdaSearch/otcDetail/470007_J2501000152_01_01 ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹

15. 大阪府. 「薬局等で要指導医薬品である緊急避妊薬が購入できるようになりました」. https://www.pref.osaka.lg.jp/o100100/yakumu/important_news/kinkyuhininyaku.html ↩ ↩² ↩³

16. スマルナ (株式会社ネクストイノベーション). Service top page. https://smaluna.com/ ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹

17. オルガノン. 「マルシロン®配合錠 製造販売承認取得のご案内」 (2026年6月). https://organonpro.com/ja-jp/mercilon_announcement_202607/ ↩ ↩²

18. 自衛隊札幌病院. 「地域医療連携室便り No.93: 月経困難症について」 (令和8年3月). https://www.mod.go.jp/gsdf/nae/hosp/pdf/ren/ren93.pdf ↩ ↩²

19. 日本家族計画協会/ジェクス. 「ジャパン・セックスサーベイ2020」, pp. 9–10. https://www.jfpa.or.jp/pdf/sexservey2020/JexSexSurvey_p9-10.pdf ↩ ↩²

20. 薬事日報. 「『レソエル』来月9日発売‐2剤目のOTC緊急避妊薬」 (2026-02-26). https://www.yakuji.co.jp/?p=130615 ↩ ↩² ↩³

21. 間壁さよ子. 「OC処方の実際」. 『臨床婦人科産科』 64巻11号 (2010). https://webview.isho.jp/journal/detail/abs/10.11477/mf.1409102498 ↩ ↩²

22. Tokyo Business Clinic. "Low-dose pill." https://www.businessclinic.tokyo/en/low-dose-pill ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶

23. 厚生労働省. 「『オンライン診療の適切な実施に関する指針』に基づく緊急避妊に係る取組について」. https://www.mhlw.go.jp/stf/seisakunitsuite/bunya/0000186912_00002.html ↩ ↩² ↩³

24. ヒロクリニック婦人科・女性内科. 「アフターピルの値段・費用相場はいくら？保険適用も解説」 (陽川英仁 監修, 2025-10-10; limitation: a single clinic's patient explainer). https://www.hiro-clinic.or.jp/gynecology/?p=3298 ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴

25. クリニックフォア (医療法人社団エムズ). 「ピル」 service page. https://www.clinicfor.life/pill/ ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶

26. 薬事日報. 「第一三共HC緊急避妊薬、販売の手順実演‐生活者、薬局向けに情報発信」 (2026-01-20). https://www.yakuji.co.jp/entry128769.html ↩ ↩² ↩³

27. 秋田魁新報. 「緊急避妊薬、薬局での販売開始 処方箋不要、年齢制限なし」 (2026-02-02). https://www.sakigake.jp/news/article/20260202CO0031/ ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴

28. 熊本日日新聞 (共同通信配信). 「緊急避妊薬『レソエル72』発売 『ノルレボ』に続き2製品目」 (2026-03-09). https://kumanichi.com/articles/1965949 ↩ ↩² ↩³

29. 薬事日報. 「【厚労省】緊急避妊薬OTCを承認‐初の特定要指導医薬品に」 (2025-10-22). https://www.yakuji.co.jp/?p=124842 ↩ ↩²

30. 秋田魁新報. 「緊急避妊薬、市販化承認 厚労省、対面販売など条件」 (2025-10-20). https://www.sakigake.jp/news/article/20251020CO0080/ ↩ ↩² ↩³

31. 厚生労働省医薬局医薬品審査管理課. 「緊急避妊薬のスイッチOTC化について（審査等）」 (令和7年8月), slides 2–7. https://www.mhlw.go.jp/content/11121000/001552335.pdf ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸

32. 東京都保健医療局. 「医薬品、医療機器等の品質、有効性及び安全性の確保等に関する法律の改正について（令和8年5月1日施行・医薬品販売業関係）」. https://www.hokeniryo.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/anzen/iyaku/sonota/r8kaisei ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴

33. 厚生労働省. 「要指導医薬品たる緊急避妊薬を販売しようとされる薬剤師の先生方へのご案内」 (slide deck). https://www.mhlw.go.jp/content/11120000/001686583.pdf ↩

34. 厚生労働省. 「オンライン診療に係る緊急避妊薬の調剤が対応可能な薬局及び薬剤師の一覧」 (page updated 令和8年9月17日). https://www.mhlw.go.jp/stf/kinnkyuuhininnyaku_00004.html ↩

35. 厚生労働省. 「医薬品等の個人輸入について」 (consumer-facing warning site). https://www.yakubutsu.mhlw.go.jp/individualimport/purchase/index.html ↩ ↩²

36. 厚生労働省. 「第1回 女子差別撤廃委員会最終見解への対応に関するワーキング・グループ 厚生労働省説明資料」 (資料7; excerpts 母体保護法 and the 平成8年9月25日 厚生事務次官通知 on Article 3). https://www.gender.go.jp/kaigi/senmon/jyuuten_houshin/sidai/pdf/wg01_7.pdf ↩

37. 厚生労働省. 「知っておきたい 性感染症の正しい知識」 (広報誌『厚生労働』 2023年8月号). https://www.mhlw.go.jp/stf/houdou_kouhou/kouhou_shuppan/magazine/202308_00001.html ↩