Men in Japan are complaining of menstrual pain, here’s what you need to know

Have males ever imagined experiencing menstrual cramps? In Tokyo, some Japanese male office employees from a telecommunication company had a unique opportunity to undergo the sensation of menstrual pain using a device.

Braving the experience, several workers from the EXEO Group tested Perionoid, a compact device with an adhesive pad applied to the lower abdomen. With a simple push of a button, an electrical signal mimics the sensation of pain in the lower stomach muscles.

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During the session, employee Masaya Shibasaki found himself nearly on his knees, while others expressed surprise at the level of discomfort that women endure on a monthly basis.

The event, held by the company on Thursday (March 7), preceded International Women's Day on March 8.

“We hope those who experienced menstrual pain today go back to their workplace and speak about how they felt and spread their understanding for women. If they do that, we can change the environment where it's awkward for women to take time off. We can be a company where people are supportive of women that need to take days off," said an employee from EXEO Group.

The brainchild behind Perionoid is an unnamed female researcher from Nara Women's University who personally suffered from severe menstrual cramps.

Collaboratively developed with researchers at the startup Osaka Heat Cool in 2019, the device has undergone several updates to reduce its size and enhance portability.

Since mid-2023, the startup has provided training sessions for employees at 40 companies and government officials.

Additionally, they have conducted basic sex education for younger individuals in schools, informs Chiaki Kubota, brand manager and trainer at Osaka Heat Cool.

"It's great we can train different companies with different backgrounds, workers with different age, both men and women. But we also want to provide basic sex education and teach the difference (between men and women) to younger people in schools. We hope to offer training in educational institutions to foster that kind of knowledge," added Chiaki Kubota.

(With inputs from agencies)