Hands-on sex education. Have you heard of the "Pocket Contraception Classroom"?

How do you use condoms and low-dose birth control pills? How do you get emergency contraception? The "Pocket Contraception Classroom" kit, developed in May 2022, lets you see, touch, and learn about contraception using actual items and life-size photos.

Asuka Someya, co-representative of the "Citizen Project to Realize Access to Emergency Contraception at Pharmacies" (commonly known as the "Emergency Contraception at Pharmacies Project") and chairperson of the NPO Pillcon*, and Rei Manno, art director at Sexology Creative Lab who designed the Pocket Contraception Classroom, discussed the challenges behind its development, including sex education and access to emergency contraception.

"Pocket Contraception Classroom" is a set of card-based educational materials. It primarily includes samples and examples of emergency contraception, oral contraceptives, condoms, pregnancy tests, and their explanations, along with information on contraceptive methods, sexual violence, sexually transmitted infections, and places to seek advice or information websites.

※NPO Pillcon is a nonprofit organization whose concept is "Learn about sex to design your life." It aims to realize a society where future generations can live authentically and build fulfilling relationships, working alongside young people through the dissemination of scientifically accurate sexual knowledge and information grounded in respect for human rights.
 

The "Pocket Contraception Classroom" developed to improve access to emergency contraception

Manno: First, could you tell us how you, Ms. Someya, became involved in activities related to contraception awareness and sex education?

Someya: When I was a junior in college, I experienced an unexpected pregnancy with my partner at the time. I struggled deeply but ultimately chose abortion. That was a huge decision for me. I thought, "If I'd had more knowledge before getting pregnant, maybe I could have prevented it." Pregnancy can profoundly impact a woman's life, yet I realized I'd never had the chance to learn about it properly. I wanted my friends to know more about sexuality too, so I started organizing study sessions.

I also founded Pillcon while in university. After graduating, I continued the activities while working, but I realized that what I truly felt was necessary and wanted to spread to society was Pillcon's work. So, in 2013, I established it as an NPO.

Manno: At Pillcon, you listen to consultations from young people, mainly middle and high school students, while also spreading knowledge about sexuality through lectures and digital content like TikTok, right?

Someya: Yes. There's a case study from Akita Prefecture: when medical professionals started giving annual lectures on sexuality to middle and high school students, the teenage abortion rate in Akita dropped to about one-third. We believe that equipping young people with accurate sexual knowledge from their school years can reduce unfortunate outcomes related to sexuality. That's why my colleagues and I started giving sex education lectures in schools. We've found that when young people share knowledge and personal experiences with their peers, it's easier for them to develop genuine interest and a sense of personal involvement.

Manno: I think there's a lot of information that's more readily accepted when it comes from peers, so expanding these youth-to-youth communities is incredibly important.

This "Pocket Contraception Classroom" kit is also part of efforts to improve access to emergency contraception, I believe. Could you tell us about the background of developing this kit?

Someya: Listening to consultations from junior and senior high school students, I hear a lot of anxiety about pregnancy. To avoid unwanted pregnancies, easy access to emergency contraception is crucial. Emergency contraception is designated by the WHO as an "essential medicine" that should be affordable and available anytime. Access to this medicine is a fundamental human right. Yet, compared to other countries, Japan has a very difficult environment for obtaining it... I've felt the weight of this issue through the actual voices in our consultations.

Through repeated signature campaigns and policy advocacy, we managed to get lawmakers involved and initiate discussions about pharmacy sales of emergency contraception. However, the debate remains stuck, with arguments like "improving sex education should come first" or "concerns about resale" dominating, while concrete solutions remain elusive. It's devastating to see people in urgent need, unable to access this essential medicine and filled with anxiety, while their situation is ignored and their fundamental right goes unfulfilled... .

While emergency contraception is available over-the-counter in approximately 90 countries, Japan presents significant barriers to access in terms of availability and cost. (Source: Project materials on pharmacy-based emergency contraception; exchange rates calculated as of February 19, 2021)

Manno: This really highlights how far behind Japan is in sex education and awareness...

Someya: Yes... However, I believe that alongside policy advocacy for institutional improvements, raising awareness through knowledge dissemination is equally crucial for creating a safer access environment. That's why we launched the "Pocket Contraception Classroom" development project via crowdfunding.

Japan is at a point where it must change now. But I realized that just waiting for someone else to make the change won't get things moving. Even while feeling despair, I believe it's incredibly important to keep raising our voices without losing sight of the problem.

Something you can touch, experience, and spark conversation about

Manno: The crowdfunding campaign gathered support from about 900 people, and the kit was released in May 2022. What aspects did you focus on when creating this kit?

Someya: We planned it with the hope that it would be an easy-to-use tool not only for young people who might need emergency contraception, but also for those who need to communicate about it, like parents and teachers. We learned that overseas there are "Contraception Kits," educational kits containing samples of various contraceptive methods. We developed this with the hope that it would make not just emergency contraception, but contraception and sexual health in general, feel more accessible and relatable.

We asked Manno-san to handle the project design, including the kit's shape and naming. It took about a year from our first meeting to completion.

Manno: Unlike overseas, Japan didn't have kits like this, and I'd never seen one myself. When I first learned about it, I was surprised—thinking, "They put this kind of thing in too!" For the design, I consciously aimed for a Japanese feel, like a bento box. I prioritized that when you open it, the kit is neatly contained, and you instantly understand what it's meant to communicate just by looking at it.


Someya: That first visual impression is incredibly important. We got great feedback from the schools and pharmacies that received the kits. The design is neutral yet pop, while still feeling trustworthy. I think this design made it much more approachable for people to pick up.

Mano: Thank you! What other feedback did you get after the release?

Someya: When we made 300 kits and opened applications for recipients, we received over 400 requests from schools and pharmacies. It really showed us the significant demand in Japan for conveying knowledge about contraception. Additionally, because the kit is designed to be handled and discussed while learning, we've heard great feedback about how it easily sparks questions and feedback from students, making it excellent for interactive, collaborative learning.

Mano: How are schools specifically incorporating it?

Someya: The idea is for it to be used during individual counseling sessions. For example, we've heard that when a student came to the health room to talk about menstrual cramps, the counselor mentioned, "I recently got these," and then they practiced putting on a condom together.

Mano: That's wonderful! Practicing putting on a condom can be a bit embarrassing and might even make you laugh. But I think it's great if it spreads through laughter or even a bit of silliness.

Someya: Exactly. Many students are seeing things like the pill or emergency contraception for the first time. Acquiring knowledge about something you've never seen before is quite difficult. While they're samples, actually holding them makes them feel much more accessible. Also, having had the experience of discussing things through the kit makes it easier to seek advice later. It would be great if it became a starting point for building relationships where people can talk about and learn about sexuality.

Mano: Absolutely. Understanding deepens significantly when you touch something and talk with people, compared to just looking at information online. That real-world connection is incredibly important.

It's wonderful to see this circle of shared purpose around sex education expanding beyond mere knowledge. This includes not only those who co-developed the kit—obstetrician and gynecologist Saeko Tohmi, Kazuko Fukuda representing the #WhyNot Project, and pharmacist Mizuki Yazawa—but also the teachers and pharmacists who volunteered to provide it, and the students who interacted with the kit.

Learning about sexuality is learning methods for living a rich life.

Manno: Could you share your future outlook for the "Pocket Contraception Classroom" and sex education?

Someya: For the Pocket Contraception Classroom, we plan to increase production for school distribution. We've also received inquiries about purchasing kits for personal study, so we aim to expand into retail sales.

When we released this kit, it was featured in many media outlets, including TV and web news. I believe this reflects interest in the kit's features and design, but I also see growing interest across media in sex education and SRHR (Sexual and Reproductive Health/Rights). Currently, female journalists tend to be more empathetic to the issues we address. Moving forward, I hope to see increased interest and discussion about sex education and SRHR among male journalists and in male-oriented media as well.

Mano: It's an issue women tend to empathize with more easily, so it spreads readily, but for men, it might be a challenging topic. When they hear "sex," they might strongly associate it with sexual acts or genitalia.

Someya: Someone with many years of experience in sex education once said, "Sex isn't instinct; it's culture," and I thought, "Ah, that makes sense." People often think of sex as something instinctive and uncontrollable, but it's actually something that can be learned. Sex is fundamentally tied to human relationships and human rights, but in Japan, the strong focus on sexual acts and genitalia creates a sense of taboo. However, I've also seen that learning and discussing it openly in safe, secure spaces can shift perceptions towards recognizing its importance.

I believe changing this requires everyone taking proactive action with a sense of ownership.

Mano: That's right. What can our generation, raised with this sense of sex as taboo, do to help children view sexuality positively?

Someya: I think the perspective of "self-determination" – deciding for oneself – is incredibly important. Adults should provide scientifically sound, reliable knowledge, and then support children in figuring out what they want and making their own decisions.

For example, creating an environment where we can discuss various news topics in daily life, avoid dismissing children's opinions outright, confirm consent even when touching another family member, and emphasize the importance of finding comfortable compromises despite differing views. I believe this builds the foundation for discussion. This connects to relationship-building and human rights education, aspects that haven't traditionally been considered part of "sex education" in Japan.

To that end, I hope we can increasingly engage in activities like the "Pocket Contraception Class," which sparked relationship-building, and also support adults themselves.

Mano: That's absolutely crucial. Even though children have smartphones now, misleading sexual advertisements appear everywhere. Blaming children by saying "You shouldn't look at that" is completely misguided. I truly believe society and adults need to change.

The approach to sex education that involves self-affirmation while respecting others is crucial not just for children, but for adults too. I believe it applies universally—to couples, friends, everyone. Learning about sexuality is about acquiring a "method for living richly" that connects to vital human rights and relationship-building. I hope we can spread this understanding.

【Sexology Creative Lab】
An internal cross-functional team at Dentsu Inc. developing content and disseminating information within the 'Sex × Creativity' framework. Launched in 2019 by creative members interested in sexual issues. Partnering with experts in healthcare and sexuality education, we work to find creative solutions for various sexuality-related challenges, including sex education and fertility support. If this series inspires you to create something addressing sexuality or sex education issues, please feel free to contact us.