Japan to give out 60,000 heart-packaged condoms & leaflets to stop STDs

25 years later, Sailor Moon is still protecting us, though the Dark Kingdom's got nothing on real-world dangers. Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare launched a public awareness campaign on Monday to warn of sexually transmitted infections or diseases (STIs or STDs) such as syphilis which are spreading rapidly among young females.

The ministry turned to the Pretty Guardian herself for 5,000 posters and 156,000 leaflets. It will distribute these through 142 local governments and groups such as the Japan Medical Association, Japanese Society for Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Japan Foundation for AIDS Prevention, and Japanese Foundation for Sexual Health Medicine at January 15's Coming-of-Age ceremonies and other venues.

Appropriately, the poster's tagline reads, "If you don't get tested, I will punish you!!" The ministry asked for and received the cooperation of Sailor Moon creator Naoko Takeuchi , since her work is popular particularly among women in their 20s.

But that's not all. The government will also distribute 60,000 condoms in heart-shaped packaging with Sailor Moon illustrations.

STIs are no joke. The annual number of reported syphilis patients in Japan increased about 4.3 times from 621 in 2010 to 2,697 in 2015. Plus, over 3,000 people have contracted syphilis in Japan from the beginning of 2016 to mid-October. The campaign aims to increase prevention, early detection, and treatment of STIs.

Sources: Oricon, ITMedia, Asahi via Hachima Kikō