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https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/03/17/japan/crime-legal/voluntary-sterlization-ruling/
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/03/17/japan/crime-legal/voluntary-sterlization-ruling/
MioTaalas
Because Japan is dying out, they need all the babies they can get...
That's why they said "nope"... Bodily autonomy be damned.
Ree81
Japan has always been a very misogynistic country I'm afraid.
RHodeidra
This implies a next step is planned to force pregnancy, since it would not matter if women could simply use contraception or not have sex
CloudyTime
This upsets me more than I want to admit, everyone has a say on women's bodies but women, its such bullshit
emu314159127001
The worst timeline. "Gee golly, where are all the aliens?" If we're any indication, dust on what's left of their homeworld.
jonnnney
I was trying to give the ruling the benefit of the doubt, until the "already had multiple births" exception and any small sliver of possibility vanished in an instant. Even if you have 1 child and don't want more you can't get your tubes tied. I skimmed over it at first, but the common law spousal consent is fucking wild because how is the doctor supposed to know if the women have a common law spouse.
TheFastpaws
There is a good reason Japan has a shrinking population.
jtxyz
If my wife got her tubes tied without talking to me I could see myself absolutely getting upset about it, and how it could end up in a divorce.
I can't see myself ever reaching a conclusion that she had no right to do it.
This law sounds utterly bizarre.
AndrewTheLionheart
Japan has been pretty socially conservative for awhile now. They've elected the same right-wing party to govern them in a nearly unbroken streak for seventy years
Greenmagegirl
Apparently its fun to visit but its pretty shite to live and work there, there are serious problems with the culture.
unluckyandbored
Japan has a long way to go with women's rights. And workers rights. And racism. But hey, anime and bullet trains, right?
vigilantvigilantes
This does not spark joy.
Detacheddavid
Marie Kondo should be asked about this.
twolfhound
Great. I just know this is going to give the U.S. idea on what uber-conservative insanity to do next.
Tolocamp
Yeah, behind the cultural stuff we constantly make fun about or are amazed by. Japan is a terribly backwards society and conservative to the core.
NeverTrustThisNewInternetThingy
So do a womans strike look to Iceland. No Sex, no childcare,no food....let the boys be boys for a week....and ask afterwards for a new law...;)
kmikl
Japan is treading dangerously close to US level stupidity.
TheLastSpaceman
Fucking kangaroo judges
TheGermanWhoHatesAmerica
dipping a bit into distopian literature, but would it be possible, to give them that right, by having them donor their eggs? I mean, if you then basically employ women who are willing to carry those to term the state should be able to avoid the risk of "No body is having kids anymore." and falling birth rates. And in China they already research the artificial womb.
Then they only need to get more men to donor sperm regulary and you have both sides technically happy, excluding morales, religion
Bizarkly
The Japanese version of "We need more babies of the correct ethnic persuasion!"
codenameRadical
Unfortunately, courts can't fix everything. Sometimes you have to legislate. That's kind of how it's supposed to work. That's why it's so disappointing that dems never used their multiple suoermajorities to legislate Roe, even though they literally campaigned on doing so for decades.
Bizarkly
There were afraid that doing so would hurt them with 'the workers' -- who they took to be reactionary.
Prometheusblu
And the fact that an accidental pregnancy would help Japans horrible demographic crisis is just a coincidence. Governments love bandaids, I imagine their hope is that they somehow solve their country’s lack of motivation to reproduce and any sterilized women will dampen their results. And the truth is we will get our fertility rates to be above replacement, or we will no longer exist.
FatSexy
I'm not connecting pregnancy to cancer, but if you found out you could prevent having cancer, or removing it if you had it... would you? Asking for all those out there making polices that don't affect them!
alexcoldt
Japan's laws do not work like laws in the west. The courts cannot negate them through legal precedent, only interpret them. If the law says what it says than it says what it says. The court, however, can recommend against that law's existence but it's up to Japan's parliament to change or remove the law. This is honestly the best we can get from a Japanese court.
grandestgrandeur
I mean, this IS coming from the culture that is filled with people who can live to be WELL into their 100's and the 80's "manosphere" or w/e they call it, is still pretty "strong" there. Didn't they recently have to deal with a bunch of male ceo's trying to enforce skirts, heels and trying to ban women from wearing glasses due to being "less feminine"? It's misogyny, dressed up and perhaps more "polite" but sexism is sexism regardless of grooming/presentation.
SomeGeek75ygh
I can tell you that Japanese people do not grow to be 100 feet tall, nor even 80 feet tall, no matter how much Ultraman you watch.
WigglyBlondeNoodle
Every day I'm more relieved that I got a bisalp.
Sunegami
Big same
eastend666
I'm tired of the word "constitutional." How about we replace it with "common sense?"
nemocares
Try that and you'll quickly learn that two people, such as you and the presiding judge, can have very different ideas about what the common sense ruling for any specific case actually is.
eastend666
Good point. My comment was more of a knee-jerk comment, based on living in a bubble with like-minded and sane people.
MendoncycleSmith
One question, are men able to get vasectomies easily and without spousal consent? If so, that's seriously fucked up, if not, then it's still fucked up legally speaking, but at least it's equal for both sexes.
DarkZalgo
Aren't vasectomies more easily reversed though? I mean I know if you wait long enough the chance of a successful reversal drops, but can you reverse tube tying as easily? I genuinely do not know
Nath1194
There's various forms. Some cut and tie, some remove entire sections, depends on the country of procedure and their medical preference
d14z3p4m
sounds like its not your issue at all? why should you know what someone is doing with their fallopian tubes?
teardropivyyearofthetiger
It’s honest to understand and educate one’s self-in empathy to a partner. In the case of had a natural delivery, my husband agreed to a vasectomy. As I was already “on the table” that was the option.
d14z3p4m
while men’s vasectomies similarly require spousal consent, enforcement tends to be laxer with urology clinics openly touting the procedure, campaigners say.
The government, meanwhile, has defended the current system as protecting women from “future regret”.
https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/were-not-wombs-japan-women-seek-rights-to-sterilisation
PanNonOpticon
Probably why the gender equality challenge falled short.
GlutenFreeCocaineWaffles
Same bullshit as usual then.
Donfolstar
The right question to ask. A follow up is, how reverseable is each procedure, as the government has an interest in protecting against a whole other class of lawsuits? [reading up on each] It appears vasectomies and tube ligation are both routine, high success procedures. The government case looks weaker and weaker.
d14z3p4m
i think you are full of shit
Donfolstar
Illiteracy is a hell of a drug. So is insulting people instead of stating clearly why you disagree with them. Happy Easter!
d14z3p4m
the government is not trying to protect itself from anything. its a very common misogynist law, thats the point. control over women, not whatever bullshit you are pulling out of your ass.
Donfolstar
Wow, I was just shooting in the dark but you might literally be functionally illiterate. Someone who can read might note I was agreeing with you. Also, the "trying to protect itself" was, to anyone who can make inferences, from some natalist org cooking up a 'permanent harm' lawsuit, but pointed out this was not a likelihood. Seriously, so stupid.
AllRepublicansArePedophiles
A government only has power when it produces taxpayers, and it will always rule in favor of women being nothing more than breeding stock.
shalafi71
Japan looks to be the first to face a depopulation crisis. No one knows who to deal with an aging population and fewer youth to work, and yes, pay taxes. It's a real problem, but I doubt this immoral law results in many babies.
pixelsnader
Actually... they're already way into or potentially even past the hump of their crisis. Their dependency ratio changed immensely from 1995 to 2015 but has stayed level since. GDP and debt have also stayed relatively stable. So I think they're more a "different societal structure after significant changes" rather than "heading into a bumpy crisis".
teardropivyyearofthetiger
As a THIRTY SEVEN YEAR OLD WOMAN, after birth of healthy child, they asked my husband and mother if THEY AGREED to MY tubal ligation.
Fuck the patriarchy.
Lazarillo
I mean, it sounds like you probably shouldn't be fucking the patriarchy, to me, if they're not gonna respect your personhood.
datphone777365
Fuck the oligarchy* the gender battle is a distraction from the class war.
worm61
No. This is wildly unhelpful. It’s all connected, yes, but patriarchy is its own problem, and is upheld by many people not part of the oligarchy. Same with racism. “No war but class war” is just more all lives matter bullshit. It completely erases the unique struggles of oppressed people. You’re not helping anyone with this shit.
eathotdog
Grow up
datphone777365
Wake up.
MioTaalas
Oligarchy is about money and power, not about gender...
datphone777365
Almost there...
Namjies
Patriarchy is not "men = bad", it's the social hierarchy and expectations surrounding it. Oligarchy is very old men centered. Old patriarchs leading society above family patriarchs above young men above women/children. It removes power from women/young people and pacifies men into maintaining that social hierarchy as they are allowed some power. It's a power structure enforcement tool. Abolishing it is fighting the class war.
datphone777365
Oligarchy is propped up by both men and women, lets not infantilize the women that have helped perpetuate class war.
Look to current day willing perpetuators like bondi, noem and kirk. Or the throng of other "conservative" women.
Dont mistake a battle for the war, and dont be foolish enough to not label guilty parties a such due to ideological inconvenience.
Namjies
Didn't say women don't willingly contribute, but men dominate at the top. Expectations of a patriarchal society among others is that men can not be soft, they must be aggressive and ruthless. Likewise, women to be taken seriously in such a society should behave as a "man" to have authority, rather than what's expected of a woman. It's a set of rules and expectations that bind men and women alike that legitimize and maintain power structures. It legitimize the anti-social behavior of the rich.
datphone777365
Aggression and ruthlessness are expected of leadership not just in humans but animals... So that bit about acting like men is off the mark.
I also the whole men at top bit ignores how oligarchal families function as a whole and not a single person. The males may be the figure head but that doesnt mean the women of that family arent playing equal but different roles.
Again, do not get lost in the battles and lose the war.
duktayp
Remember on Battlestar Galactica when that lady wanted an abortion but Stands-With-a-Fist says no, we need you to keep that baby? It has nothing to do with this post I just miss that show
Foehammer262
jonnnney
That was a both a brilliant & fucked up political play by Gaius because he advised Stands-With-A-Fist to make that decision then in the exact same press conference immediately denounced it while announcing his own candidacy for election.
TheDoctorCrankenstein
Some glorious writing showcasing the duplicity of politicians and their schemes to acquire political power.
Slimewire
I loved that show for exactly that: Making you wrestle with uncomfortable ideas
TheDoctorCrankenstein
Not enough shows do that anymore. Most are way too sanitized in order to not stir controversy.
whiskeywonka
Honestly no, i do not remember that. got an episode number by chance?
duktayp
"the captain's hand" I see it listed as a subplot
whiskeywonka
thankyou
RisqueMarmalade
I'm rewatching Battlestar right now after a decade, and that's literally the episode I'm on. Weird coincidence.
LaughingMan2Gig
So if im understanding correctly they are arguing that just having the ability to reproduce is what is causing them mental harm? Not that is a physical health issue or that they dont have access to contraception otherwise? Just trying to understand their POV
freshthrowaway1138
Do you know that women suffer massive pains every month of their lives? Do you think that they don't feel stress and worry both from the pain as well as knowing that they are going to suffer the pain in the near future? If I kicked you in the balls on the 15th of every month, would you feel any mental stress on the 14th of every month?
LaughingMan2Gig
I was simply asking a question in regards to their POV on the situation and arguments. They should be allowed to get any procedure that they want. I have no issues with that. Just wanted clarification since in I am not as familiar with Japanese culture and the article clearly says "societies expectation for women to bear children". Just trying to educate myself
freshthrowaway1138
Yeah, I get that, I didn't downvote you because you seem to come across as someone who was missing something more fundamental to the experience of women.
This isn't just a Japanese issue, though their patriarchal structures are so much more unyielding, but impacts women around the world. Even in the west, there are still doctors who patronize women's opinions when women ask for sterilization. Unfortunately, there is an entire political view that is trying to take us closer to Japan.
spinymouse
No contraceptive is 100%, and the side effects can be nasty. (Tying tubes isn't either, but it's usually a one time intervention and done) If a man can get a vasectomy to have sex without worrying about kids and condoms, then ya, why shouldn't women have that freedom? The burden of pregnancy is only on the woman, having to worry about it is a form of emotional harm.
GorgoZilla
The burden of pregnancy is only on the woman, having to worry about it is a form of emotional harm.
Got my daily dose of misandry early today.
freshthrowaway1138
I always wonder if people like are completely ignorant of the harms that pregnancy can cause, including death, or you are so lacking in empathy that you don't care if a women could be harmed by pregnancy?
Not to mention the financial harms caused by pregnancy, especially how it overly impact women's careers.
Daliena06
Damn bro, didn't realize it was the dude who had to carry the baby to term and deal with all the assorted concerns of that.
TyphoonMuscles
In a situation where men can get vasectomies freely and women cannot get ligations freely, those are both true statements. I know removing context from things is fun, but don't attempt to make a point afterwards.
LaughingMan2Gig
Never argued about them not having the freedom just curious what their stance was. Also is a tubal ligation as easy to reverse vs a vasectomy?
TyphoonMuscles
A quick scan of Wikipedia says it's around 50-70% success rate, depending on the age of the woman and time from procedure. I think vasectomies are a little more successful.
LaughingMan2Gig
Good to know. Just wanted more details that's all
spinymouse
Why would it matter whether it can be reversed? People only get to do it if their reproductive potential can be saved? You see the problem there, right? If someone with a womb wants to bomb all chances it will ever be used for producing offspring and makes that choice freely, that shouldn't matter. It's the same as "But what if you want kids later!?" or "what if your future husband wants kids!?" or "you'll think differently once you have a kid!" As if not wanting kids is somehow a defective idea
LaughingMan2Gig
Chill the fuck out. I was just asking a question. Cant people ask questions anymore without people going insane? Let them do whatever they want with their bodies. I never argued against it. Simply wanted additional context and details as things socially might be different in Japan vs other countries
spinymouse
You're misreading, probably. Nothing un-chill going on. Socially it's the same thing pretty much everywhere. A functioning womb is something that can't be replaced (yet), and the reaction to someone removing that resource from the general supply is overwhelmingly negative. Choice collides with something society thinks it owns/deserves/needs. And it doesn't matter how uncomfortable to downright dangerous the process of producing offspring is, it's still seen as "immoral" to remove that option