- Abortion legal status
- Decriminalized or tolerated
- Emergency contraception
- Over the counter
Updated July 2026 · Sources cited: metropolisjapan.com, japan.asoventure.jp
Good to know
Good to Know
- Tokyo's OTC emergency contraception (NorLevo) launched nationwide only in February 2026 — a major change from the old prescription-only system, but you still must consult a trained pharmacist and take the pill in the pharmacy on the spot; no one can buy it on your behalf.
- Regular birth control pills and IUDs require a prescription/consultation with a gynecologist in Japan and are usually paid out-of-pocket rather than covered by national health insurance, since they're classified as elective contraception.
- Contraceptive implants (like Nexplanon) are generally not available in Japan, so if you rely on this method, plan ahead before arriving.
- For sexual assault, SARC Tokyo (03-5607-0799) operates 24/7 and can connect you to medical, legal, and police support without obligating you to file a police report.
- English-language support is limited outside of specific windows — TELL Lifeline (03-5774-0992, 9am–11pm daily) is one of the most reliably English-speaking options; the Tokyo Rape Crisis Center only guarantees English on Wednesday evenings and Saturday afternoons.
- If you plan to report to police, try to avoid showering, changing clothes, or brushing your teeth beforehand to preserve evidence, and you can request a same-gender officer and an interpreter.
- Abortion is legal and routinely performed in Tokyo, but it is not covered by health insurance — expect to pay the full cost out of pocket, often in cash, and budget for at least two to three separate clinic visits.
- Even though unmarried women are not legally required to get a partner's signature, many Tokyo clinics still ask for one in practice — ask directly about a clinic's consent-form policy before booking if this could be an issue for you.
- The medical abortion pill (approved 2023) exists but is not a simple take-home option in Japan: it requires in-hospital supervision and is only offered by a small number of clinics, so most nomads will end up looking at surgical options.
- English-language OB-GYN support in Tokyo is concentrated in central wards like Minato, Shinjuku and Shibuya/Meguro — call ahead to confirm English-speaking staff will be available on the day, as this can vary by doctor and day of week.
- Some clinics only accept cash; confirm payment methods when you book.
Street, Night and Taxi Safety
Street Harassment vs. Train Groping
Unwanted comments or catcalling on the street are uncommon in Tokyo — sources describe Japan as having extremely low rates of casual street harassment compared with most major cities. The much more documented issue is groping ('chikan') on crowded commuter trains: a 2024 Tokyo Metropolitan Government survey found that 56% of women in Tokyo have been groped on trains or in stations, and a separate national survey found about one in ten women aged 16 to 29 reported being touched inappropriately on trains. Many victims don't report incidents, so the true frequency is likely higher than official figures suggest.
Walking Alone at Night
Tokyo is widely described as one of the safer large cities for walking alone at night, with brightly lit main streets, low violent crime, and a cultural norm of people minding their own business. Even so, local guidance commonly singles out the back streets of Kabukicho (Shinjuku's red-light district) for extra awareness late at night due to touts and the area's nightlife crowd, while nearby Shinjuku, Ginza, and Marunouchi are generally considered calm even after dark.
Touts in Nightlife Districts
In areas like Kabukicho and Roppongi, the realistic nighttime risk for women is verbal rather than physical: touts approaching to pull people into bars, hostess clubs, or adult-entertainment recruitment, which is more common in these two districts than elsewhere in the city. The recommended response is a firm, polite decline and continuing to walk rather than engaging or following anyone off the main street into an unfamiliar venue.
Taxis and Ride-hailing
Licensed Tokyo taxis are metered and considered a safe, honest option, and the GO app (Japan's dominant taxi-hailing app) is commonly recommended as a reliable way to arrange a ride home late at night without needing to hail one on the street.
Practical Precautions
Many train lines run women-only carriages during morning and evening rush hours, introduced specifically to reduce groping, and these are worth using if a train is crowded; look for the pink signage marking the boarding position on the platform. Convenience stores (konbini) are open 24 hours, well-lit, and widely treated as a safe place to step into if you feel uneasy on the street at night. If groping happens, calling out and asking station staff for help is the advice given by safety guides and media coverage of the issue.
Cost
- Typical Visits
- On average at least three visits are required: an initial consultation/pregnancy confirmation, the procedure itself, and a post-procedure check-up.
- Insurance Coverage
- Elective abortion is not covered by Japan's national health insurance and must be paid out of pocket, usually in cash.
- Medical Abortion Pill
- ¥100,000
Combined cost of the pill regimen plus required consultation/hospitalization; total cost can equal or exceed a surgical abortion once hospitalization is factored in.
Surgical Abortion
- Amount Local Low
- ¥100,000
- Amount Local High
- ¥400,000
- Note
- Cost varies by clinic and weeks of pregnancy; older sources cite roughly ¥100,000–¥200,000, while more recent (2025) reporting on Tokyo-area clinics cites ¥200,000–¥400,000 or more, especially for later-pregnancy or hospitalized procedures.
Consultation And Followup
- Followup Visit Low
- ¥5,000
- Followup Visit High
- ¥10,000
- Initial Consultation Low
- ¥5,000
- Initial Consultation High
- ¥15,000
Named OB-GYN Options Tokyo
Tokyo Medical and Surgical Clinic (TMSC)
- Area
- Minato-ku (near Tsukiji/Ginza)
- Notes
- Long-established (1951) international clinic with European- and US-trained doctors; offers family medicine, internal medicine and an OB-GYN department with English, Spanish, German or French support depending on the doctor.
Shirokane Takanawa Ebine Women's Clinic
- Area
- Takanawa, Minato-ku
- Notes
- Founded by an English-speaking doctor with an all-female physician staff; covers routine gynecology, infertility treatment, adolescent gynecology, and cancer screening, with weekday and weekend consultations.
K-Ladies Clinic
- Area
- Shinjuku (near JR Shinjuku Station west exit)
- Notes
- English-speaking doctors and nurses, accepts walk-ins, open every day of the week including Sundays (shorter hours); covers contraception, abnormal pap smears, STIs, UTIs and abnormal bleeding.
Tokyo Midtown Clinic — Gynecology
- Area
- Roppongi, Minato-ku (directly connected to Roppongi Station)
- Notes
- Hospital-affiliated clinic with an English- and Chinese-speaking obstetrician-gynecologist on staff; handles general gynecological concerns, cancer screening and STI checks.
Ladies Clinic Naminami
- Area
- Meguro (Gotanda/Shinagawa area)
- Notes
- English-speaking OB-GYN and female urology clinic offering prenatal care, gynecological exams, contraception and online consultations.
Primary Care Tokyo (Dr. Joe Kurosu)
- Area
- Central Tokyo
- Notes
- Stanford-trained general practitioner with training in women's healthcare and experience serving the foreign community; offers online appointment booking.
Contraception Access
IUD
- Legal Status
- Fully legal and regulated
- Prescription Required
- Yes
- Notes
- Hormonal and copper IUDs are legally available in Japan through a gynecologist, but detailed current Tokyo-specific pricing was not confirmed at the time of research; as with the pill, cost is generally out-of-pocket unless prescribed for a documented medical condition.
Contraceptive Implant
- Legal Status
- illegal
- Notes
- Hormonal contraceptive implants (e.g., etonogestrel rods) are not approved for use in Japan, so this method is not accessible locally; this specific point was not directly confirmed via search at the time of research and should be treated as unverified.
Emergency Contraception
- Price
- ¥7,480
- OTC Status
- As of February 2, 2026, the emergency contraceptive pill NorLevo can be purchased over the counter at approximately 5,400 pharmacies and drugstores nationwide, for the first time in Japan, without a prescription, age restriction, or parental consent.
- Legal Status
- Fully legal and regulated
- Effectiveness
- When taken within 72 hours after sexual intercourse, it is about 80% effective in preventing pregnancy.
- Process Notes
- Only specially trained pharmacists are allowed to dispense it, you must consult with the pharmacist about timing and how it works, and you are required to swallow the pill on the spot in the pharmacy — there are no proxy purchases (a partner or friend cannot buy it for you), and it must be taken within the 72-hour window for best effectiveness.
- Price Range Note
- Some pharmacies report pricing between roughly JPY 7,000 and JPY 10,000 per pill (about USD 45–64) depending on the outlet.
Mini Pill Progestin Only
- Legal Status
- Fully legal and regulated
- Prescription Required
- Yes
- Notes
- As of June 2025, Japan approved its first progestin-only mini-pill, Slinda, now available nationwide by prescription as an option for women who cannot take estrogen or prefer a lower-hormone method.
- Price Note
- Specific retail price not found at the time of research.
Birth Control Pill Combined Oral
- Legal Status
- Fully legal and regulated
- Prescription Required
- Yes
- Notes
- Oral contraceptive pills were only legalized in Japan in 1999 and remain a relatively cheap, effective and increasingly accessible method once you have a prescription, obtained via a gynecologist consultation. They are not typically covered by national health insurance when used purely for contraception (insurance mainly applies when prescribed for a medical condition), so cost is out-of-pocket.
- Price Note
- Exact current monthly price was not independently verified at the time of research; historically cited in the low thousands of yen per month.
Assault Support Services
Sexual Assault Relief Center Tokyo (SARC Tokyo)
- Phone
- 03-5607-0799
- Hours
- 24/7
- Services
- Sexual Assault Relief Center Tokyo offers 24/7 assistance to victims of sexual violence, including immediate counseling, medical and legal referrals, and accompaniment to hospitals and police stations.
- Languages
- Primarily Japanese; some English support
Police Sexual Assault Hotline ("Heart", #8103)
- Phone
- #8103 (dial from a Japanese phone)
- Hours
- Police describe it as a dedicated hotline; guaranteed female officer availability is Mon–Fri 8:30–17:15
- Services
- You can access the hotline by dialing #8103 from a Japanese phone anywhere in Japan, however there is no guarantee that an English-speaking officer will be available, and police can take a statement, arrange a hospital appointment, and explain evidence collection.
- Languages
- Japanese; no guarantee of English
One-stop Nationwide Victim Support Line (#8891)
- Phone
- #8891
- Hours
- Connects to nearest local center; hours vary by prefecture
- Services
- If you call #8891 from a mobile or landline phone, you will be connected to the nearest one-stop support centre from your location.
- Languages
- Varies by center
TELL Lifeline (Tokyo English Life Line)
- Phone
- 03-5774-0992
- Hours
- 9 a.m.–11 p.m. daily
- Services
- Free, anonymous telephone counseling in English; a TELL Counseling Center also offers face-to-face professional counseling on a flexible-fee basis.
- Languages
- English
Tokyo Rape Crisis Center
- Phone
- 03-3207-3692
- Hours
- Limited English hours: Wednesday 18:00–21:00 and Saturday 15:00–18:00; otherwise Japanese
- Services
- Japan's first rape crisis center (established 1983), a private volunteer organization offering telephone counseling to women who have experienced rape or sexual violence.
- Languages
- Japanese-speaking counselors, English-speaking counselor sometimes available
Tokyo Crime Victim Hotline (Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department)
- Phone
- 03-3597-7830
- Hours
- 8:30 a.m.–5:15 p.m. weekdays
- Services
- General crime victim support line run by the Tokyo Metropolitan Police.
- Languages
- Japanese only
Women's Human Rights Hotline (Ministry of Justice Legal Affairs Bureau)
- Phone
- 0570-070-810
- Hours
- 8:30 a.m.–5:15 p.m. weekdays
- Services
- This service offers support and advice to women who are victims of bullying, sexual harassment at work, domestic violence or psychological abuse.
- Languages
- Japanese
Himawari (Tokyo Metropolitan Health and Medical Information Center)
- Phone
- 03-5285-8181
- Hours
- 9 a.m.–8 p.m. daily
- Services
- Helps locate clinics, pharmacies, and English-speaking or interpreted medical care; also runs a medical emergency interpretation line for hospitals.
- Languages
- English available
H.E.L.P. (House in Emergency of Love and Peace)
- Phone
- 03-3368-8855
- Hours
- Weekdays only
- Services
- Christian-based organization offering refuge, counseling, and legal services to women in need.
- Languages
- Japanese and English
Tokyo English-speaking Police Non-emergency Line
- Phone
- 03-3501-0110
- Hours
- Business hours
- Services
- Non-emergency line for English-speaking assistance with police matters.
- Languages
- English
Abortion is technically a crime under Articles 212-216 of Japan's Penal Code, but the Maternal Health Act (formerly the Eugenic Protection Act) creates broad, routinely-used exceptions that make abortion widely accessible in practice. Legal abortions must be performed by a doctor specifically designated by a prefectural medical association.
Legal Status
Decriminalized or tolerated
Legal Grounds
Legal Grounds
- Continuation of the pregnancy or delivery would significantly damage the woman's physical health for bodily or economic reasons (this economic-hardship clause is the one most commonly used, making abortion available in practice to almost anyone who can find a willing doctor)
- Pregnancy resulting from rape or sexual assault where the person could not resist or refuse
Abortion Time Limit
Up to 22 weeks of pregnancy. After 22 weeks, termination is only possible if the woman's life is in danger.
Methods Available
- Surgical
- Surgical abortion (historically dilation and curettage, sometimes vacuum aspiration) remains the most common and widely available method, especially in large cities like Tokyo. Most physicians will not perform surgical abortions after week 12 due to complexity and cost, and most abortions occur between weeks 7 and 10.
- Medical Abortion Pill
- A two-step medical abortion pill (Mefeego, from UK-based Linepharma) was approved in April 2023 for pregnancies up to 9 weeks — the first time medical abortion has been legal in Japan. However, access remains very limited: only a small share of abortion-providing clinics offer it, women must take the pills under direct medical supervision and typically remain in hospital for the process (self-administration at home is not permitted), and only a minority of Japan's prefectures have doctors authorized to prescribe it. Spousal/partner consent applies to medical abortion exactly as it does to surgical abortion.
Consent Requirement
- Summary
- Article 14 of the Maternal Health Act requires consent from both the pregnant person and their spouse/partner for a designated doctor to perform an abortion.
- Exceptions
- Spousal/partner consent is not legally required if the spouse is unknown, cannot express an intent, no longer exists (e.g. deceased) after conception, or if the pregnancy resulted from rape.
- Reform Status
- There is ongoing advocacy and legal/academic pressure (including from lawyers and researchers) to abolish the spousal consent requirement entirely, but as of the most recent reporting no legislative change has been made.
- Unmarried Women
- Unmarried women are not legally required to obtain a partner's consent, but in practice many clinics still request a signature from a male partner (or even a male friend standing in) due to conservative institutional norms and fear of later disputes or lawsuits from the biological father.
Grounds Not Recognized
Fetal impairment, incest (as a standalone ground), and preservation of mental health alone are not accepted legal grounds for abortion.
Access Notes For Foreigners
Procedures are available at ordinary obstetrics and gynecology (OB-GYN) clinics in Tokyo, not special abortion clinics. Some clinics offer pre-procedure counseling and documentation support in English; it is worth confirming English support and consent-form procedures directly with the clinic when booking.
Emergency Numbers
- Police
- 110
- Ambulance Fire
- 119
Evidence And Reporting Notes
Although it may be extremely uncomfortable, it is important to try to preserve evidence: avoid bathing, showering, brushing your teeth, or washing your clothes if possible, and Japanese police generally prefer (but do not require) reporting at the police station nearest to where the incident occurred.
Sources cited for this category
These are the sources cited in this women's health & safety research for this city. Individual figures may not each trace to one of them.
More About Tokyo
Data last updated July 2026 · Verify anything important.