Kyodo via Yahoo: Lawmaker Noda goes public with book about own fertility treatment
Childless Japanese women have a new ally -- lawmaker Seiko Noda, who has decided to reveal her own experience of fertility treatment. In her book, "Watashi Wa Umitai" (I want to give birth), Noda, 44, talks about her physical and emotional struggles in undergoing painful and continuous treatment on top of work pressures and constant clashes with her 37-year-old husband...."The public may think that since I am a Diet member and a politician, I am (using my book) to glorify myself but I have made it a point to be very open here so that I can probe into the depth of the (fertility treatment) issue,"
Noda, who comes from a political family...is touted as a potential candidate to become Japan's first female premier
"More than the stress caused by the treatment, more than the pain of injections, most taxing to me were the clashes with my husband," said Noda...The turning point in her husband's attitude came when she temporarily gave up on treatment and focused instead much of her attention on the couple's new dog, she said.
..."There is still this care-free thinking that children can be produced easily...the world of politics must understand the whole issue of the falling birthrate," taking into account the reality of women who cannot conceive and the issue of fertility treatment, Noda said.