This episode I talk with Mayara Caetano about the Japanese drama series "My husband won't fit" (Otto no chinpo ga hairanai) (2019) on Netflix. This series shows fictional intimacy and reproductive issues between Kumiko and Kenichi who are unable to have penetrative vaginal sex. We connect their issues to the general situation of family and reproductive issues in the early 2000s of Japan. Maya wrote the following notes to accompany this episode:

"Although the conversation was set to have a casual and light tone, it is a serious discussion that came to the forefront of the news cycle and social media. So, I would like to comment and share some readings from Japanese and Japanese American authors to expand the conversation.

Setsu Shigematsu (2012) is the author of the book ‘Scream from the Shadows: The Women's Liberation Movement in Japan’ which talks about the ūman ribu group and its contributions to the women’s movement in the country. The author states that the Japanese family system – ie – will be fundamental to understanding the implications of imperialistic perspectives, gender roles, sex, and sexuality, as well as reproductive rights. Its activists were involved in the movements for reproductive rights with an intersection of disabilities and legislation, which leads me to suggest the book Contraceptive Diplomacy: Reproductive Politics and Imperial Ambitions in the United States and Japan from Takeuchi-Demirci (2018). Here is an interview with the author.

The book discusses some of the contraceptive methods adopted and legislated in Japan throughout its history and its inter-relations with the United States. The book will mention Margaret Sanger – the founder of today's Planned Parenthood – and the interrelations and implications of decisions about body autonomy. In Rachel Sharp’s article, there is a condensed history of the organisation and its involvement in the disputes for reproductive rights in the US, which does not restrict the abortion right but also contraceptives, and sex education. Furthermore, the article addressed the past of the organisation and Sanger’s with eugenics, conservative, and racist groups, which happen to endanger and harm populations. This historical fact is not omitted by Planned Parenthood and does not represent their actions, services, beliefs, and advocacy.

When we recorded this episode, Japan had recently allowed the commercialisation of abortion pills, through restricted to the authorisation of a male partner (McCurry, 2022). Several legal guidelines and decision related to reproductive rights are framed in the arrengement of married heterosexual couples, so there are numerous groups and contexts outside of the Japanese legal frame. That does not mean that people will not follow their own wishes, but are uncovered and vulnerable. So, considering the abovementioned book and article references, the decision made on 24 June 2022 to overturn Roe vs. Wade and the related decisions in the US bring worrisome precedents."

References:

McCurry, Justin. 2022. Japan to approve abortion pill – but partner’s consent will be required. The Guardian. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/may/31/japan-to-approve-abortion-pill-but-partners-consent-will-be-required

Shigematsu, Setsu. 2012. Scream from the Shadows: The Women's Liberation Movement in Japan. Minnesota Press.

Takeuchi-Demirci, Aiko. 2018. Contraceptive Diplomacy: Reproductive Politics and Imperial Ambitions in the United States and Japan. Redwood City: Stanford University Press.