It took six months for Japan to get Viagra. It took nine years to get the Pill.
Japanese women will have the pill at last, as of Thursday, but observers say not to expect them to turn out in crowds to obtain it.
What held off the government's approval for decades is likely to hold off general social acceptance of the pill, says the Associated Press - mores which expect women to be docile and passive.
And despite workplace and social gains for Japanese women, if they take the initiative especially about sexuality they remain frowned upon, if not ostracized.
But there are other reasons why Japanese woman might be wary of the pill as well - health reasons and abortion.
The pill faced a nine-year battle against government opposition and Japanese social conservatives who feared its availability would break down Japanese morals. The pill was approved at last in June.
Pressure for that became stronger after Viagra received government approval earlier this year after just six months, with Japanese women's groups crying sexism.
But one factor which might keep the pill's popularity down even though it's now becoming available in Japan is health and safety. Many Japanese women, the Associated Press says, are reluctant to take the pill after years of hearing of health dangers from oral contraception.
And the other factor which might keep the pill's use down is abortion - Japan has had safe abortion available for half a century, without the moral or religious stigmata common in the United States.
