Will Miss #43 - liberal ideas on birth control (reflection)

I don't know if there are programs in Japan in which high schools distribute free condoms to teens to control unwanted pregnancy and the spread of disease. I am pretty sure, though clearly I cannot be certain, that such programs would not be debated based on religious concerns if they were proposed. They almost certainly be pondered in terms of expense (who pays) and the potential embarrassment that would follow offering such private items to kids. In the U.S., some schools do offer condoms, but some do not because there is too much blowback from people who believe that it promotes promiscuity among the hormonally charged youngsters.

I continue to miss the fact that the Japanese have a more enlightened attitude toward birth control (though not necessarily sex itself, but that is a topic for another post) and make it relatively easy and morally acceptable to seek it out. 

Won't Miss #197 - condoms that are too small

There is an effort among some foreign women married to Japanese men to dispel what they believe is the "myth" that Japanese men have smaller penises than foreign men based on their (statistically insignificant) personal experiences. I have no interest in myths, but I do know some facts. The fact of the matter is that penis size in a given population relates not to the size of the men, but the size of the women. No doubt, this is part of the cleverness of evolution. If it didn't fit, the DNA didn't get passed on. If the average size of the women is smaller, the penis size of the men is smaller. You can reach your own conclusions based on the size of Japanese women and you can debate to your heart's content as to whether size even matters. Personally, it's of no consequence to me (since I'm married to an American) except when it comes to the size of the available condoms in Japan. Japanese condoms are too tight for many foreign men because they are sized for the average Japanese penis. Sure, they can stretch enough to do the job, but they're not comfortable and don't feel right.

I won't miss having to deal with the hassle of buying imported condoms because the Japanese ones are too small.

Will Miss #43 - liberal ideas about birth control

While America has its highly ineffective abstinence movement, Japan has condoms available everywhere. There's a condom vending machine about 2 minutes from our apartment in case anyone has an urgent need and is too shy to ask at a drug store. In fact, I don't even know if condoms are sold in drug stores in Japan since they're so easy to get in other places.

I'll miss the liberal and pragmatic attitudes toward birth control.