A New Spin on Sex Education for a Sexier New Generation

June 2, 2004

CDC HIV/STD/TB Prevention News Update

Tuesday, June 01, 2004

JAPAN:

" A New Spin on Sex Education for a Sexier New Generation "

Inter Press Service (05.27.04)::Suvendrini Kakuchi

Revisions to Japan's sex education classes are being contemplated

following the news that increased discussions about pregnancy and STDs have

failed to stem annual increases in teenage abortions and STDs among youths.

The Education, Science and Technology Ministry policy has been to teach

pupils about physical changes to the male and female bodies, pregnancy,

healthy gender concepts and family values. But today's children " know more,

are freer with sex and are thus vulnerable to a host of sex-related

problems, said Hirotaka Kujrigaoka of the Tokyo Board of Education.

Sex education, which begins in the third grade, has run into

difficulties with parents who have protested the use of graphic material,

the education ministry reported. Many conservative parents also argue that

displaying condoms and other contraceptives in class is against Asian values

and could promote early sexual activity.

Surveys indicate that Japanese girls now begin to menstruate at ages

10-12, at least two years earlier than their mothers. Of third-year high

school students, 30 percent report they have experienced sex at least once,

compared to two decades ago when sexual debut was most often at age 20.

In 2002, almost 50,000 abortions were recorded among Japanese age 20

and below, compared to 27,838 in 1994. Youths ages 10-19 comprised 29.8

percent of new chlamydia cases reported in 2002.

While intercourse can only be discussed in high school, 70 percent of

primary students are already aware of the topic, according to research by

Dr. Masako Kihara, a teacher at Kyoto University and pioneer of Japanese sex

education. She recommends conducting periodic school surveys to assess

students' interest in sexual activity before developing a basic curriculum.

A school nurse or counselor can then work with individual children to teach

them based on their needs, she said.

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