October 28, 2024

Akahata ‘current’ column

A Diet deliberation video in which Japanese Communist Party Policy Commission Chair Yamazoe Taku called for lifting the abortion ban in the Criminal Code has become a hot topic among X (former Twitter) users. As of October 26, it was viewed more than one million times.

In the video, Yamazoe, at the House of Councilors Legal Affairs Committee meeting in March 2022, criticized Japan for being well behind the curve in terms of the promotion of a woman’s right to decide on whether to have children.

International human rights norms recognize safe abortion as a women’s right. On the other hand, Japan’s Penal Code in its Article 211 stipulates that an abortion performed by a pregnant woman herself by using drugs or any other means is a punishable offense. Yamazoe criticized this provision for “going counter to the fundamental constitutional principle of respect for individuals.”

In Japan, a law to criminalize abortion was established in 1907 under the prewar constitution with the use of a similar French law as a model. Over a century has passed since then. France in March included the right to abortion in its constitution. In contrast, Japan still maintains the anti-abortion law.

The UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women at its latest meeting pointed out that the Japanese government is slow in tackling women’s rights issues. The UN committee demanded that Japan revise the current law requiring a woman wishing to get an abortion to obtain her spouse’s consent.

Past related article:
> JCP in civil group’s survey: Reproductive health and rights are human rights [July 6, 2022]