Cultural diffusion has obviously been played out in many various and sellable forms between the U.S. and Japan. However, one circumstance where there is a curious and impeded relationship between the exchange of an American product between the U.S. and Japan is the introduction of the "Pill" to Japan. While Japan has always been slow to approve foreign drugs, the birth control pill's stagnated approval rate is an anomaly (WuDunn). Even within the slow moving FDA equivalent of Japan's drug administration, 17 years (the time it has taken for the pill to be approved) is considered an extremely long time. This June, the top medical advisory council reversed its position and recommended the pill be allowed to be sold (WuDunn). What issues have surrounded this resistance to cultural diffusion?

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