A Japanese government advisory panel has proposed lowering the adult age to 18 from 20. What do you think about it?

Wednesday 05th August, 04:08 AM JST

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Latest 15 of 18 Total Comments Show All

noborito at 12:12 PM JST - 5th August

How about letting the whole population vote. The Korean/Japanese have no rights to vote in Japan. They makeup about 15% of the population and when it suits Japaneses statisticians they are included in the Japanese citizen numbers, and when they don't, they are eliminate. Why not give permanent residents the right to vote seeing almost no one can become Japanese.
ambrosia at 02:35 PM JST - 5th August

What's the difference? Your typical 18 year-old Japanese isn't going to vote anyway and your typical 18 year-old Japanese can already drink because they never get carded. The only positive change I can see with this is that 18-year olds can be charged as adults for crimes.
TheguyNextdoor at 02:46 PM JST - 5th August

Its a great idea for the 20 yr olds that commit crimes and are given a slap because they are consider minors. As for alcohol, continue to leave it at 20 or raise it to 21.
tdcfox at 04:19 PM JST - 5th August

They should raise it to 30.
FineDiner at 04:24 PM JST - 5th August

Australia is considering lowering the voting age to 16, which is a great idea as many young peple work and pay tax, and have formed political views (I had at that age). Japan is gonna seem like a real immature country if it does not lower it to 18.
Farmboy at 07:54 PM JST - 5th August

It will encourage starting a family before interest in doing so wanes, and will allow people to join the military or enter the job market at an earlier age. I really don't know if all this will be good or bad.
Monoflow at 08:44 PM JST - 5th August

18 is okay in general (my country has it), 16 is okay for voting. Allthough there will be a too low percentage using that posibility. Finally in Japan, the younger criminals can be charged for crimes. Maybe a reason for some of these, to think twice, before they do any mistake...
Mittsu at 11:11 AM JST - 6th August

Great idea, although doesn't make a difference as I don't think our hosts ever really grow up.
whynothow at 01:53 PM JST - 6th August

Dont vote at all.... then all the "powerdrunks" of this world would have no mendate...Sorry folks none of you have what it takes... The idea of campaigning for only a month is just plain ridiculous. At least the Education system should include "Voting 101" , "your Voice", "What Democracy?", "the Savage Capitalism Manifesto", "beating around the bush aka the Failure of the Electoral System, and "Vote with Your Wallet. There should be a license to vote. I shiver to think of the people i know who have the right to. And dont forget that in Japan a physical 18 usually means a moral and intellectual 14 at best....In a lot of cases anyway...
stirfry at 02:36 PM JST - 6th August

it still doesn't match the mental age of 12
FreeInJapan at 10:47 PM JST - 6th August

As a person who has already been drinking in Japan since the age of 18 (albeit, as a gaijin, not that it matters), I see this as more of a ploy to further pad the conviction rate... think about it, a higher conviction rate for all the juniors that break the law under 20, slam dunk to make everyone think the Japanese legal system is effective.
NeilWarnock at 10:50 PM JST - 6th August

Freeinjapan, whilst personally i reckon 16 is a decent age. I thnk many here would prefer you not to say "Gai**n" please. A poll found it offensive to 40% of foreigners in Japan. Many thanks.
Icewind007 at 02:50 AM JST - 7th August

I'm not sure what all this implies. Are only "adults" allowed to drink or smoke or vote? I think voting should start younger (than 20), drinking later, and smoking later also. But what does this age change do?

I thnk many here would prefer you not to say "Gai**n" please. A poll found it offensive to 40% of foreigners in Japan. Many thanks

Much agreed. Also, it sounds kind of cheesy to mix up some well-known Japanese word into English unless you are referring to the Japanese mindset of what the current meaning of "Gaijin" implies.
TokyoShizz at 04:47 AM JST - 7th August

noborito,

The Korean/Japanese have no rights to vote in Japan. They makeup about 15% of the population

You mean about .15% of the population, right?

Glad we could clear that one up.
Jizzeez at 05:17 PM JST - 10th August

Lowering the age when Japanese people can be considered adults? (That's a good one)