Alcohol and cigarettes are strongly addictive, and young people feel the effects more strongly, so the issue should not be grouped together with the voting age.

So old enough to get married, have children and vote in elections but not have a happoshu? Ludicrous. (Don`t get me started on my home country, the US...insanity)

Very few countries have any age restrictions beyond the age of majority. You ate either an adult or you ate not.

If you are not old enough to decide what to do with your own body, why are you old enough to impose your political will on the rest of the population?

If you are not old enough to decide what to do with your own body, why are you old enough to impose your political will on the rest of the population?

Isn't that the idea - a malleable electorate?

I'm not a doctor or psychiatric I can't tell what you to do in your life or what is the best for your health, but I believe if you're using alcohol or smoke to avoid your daily problems or been sociable accepted by your friends, colleagues or classmates. I think you're in a wrong way you're getting pleasure but after the effects passed you're back the reality you were avoiding without any health or social progress, better fix your root of your problems with hard working, studying or find out better people in your life. Don't fallowing "The blind leading the blind"

Parenting is best done by parents. The government should stop trying to be Big Papa and Big Brother too!

I had my first sip of beer at about 7 years old. I started drinking a bit at 13. I started getting drunk on occasion at 15 and also started buying beer at that age when the purchasing age changed from 18 to 21 and BECAUSE of it. So you can see, I have been SICK of the government finger up my butt for a long time now.

Anyway, I do believe I was made better for drinking alcohol. I learned a lot about myself and how I perceive the world. I find those that don't drink, or never had to be extremely narrow minded and easily led astray by authority. They tend to worry too much about little things are people who will die without ever having actually lived.

Plus, here in Japan, I used to see young people under the legal age drinking responsibly at pubs all the time. If there was a problem, I only saw it on TV concerning Coming of Age Day, and it was always the problem kids who really don't give a damned about the law anyway, new or old. So why even consider them when making new laws that affect us all?

If you are old enough to join the SDF and get shipped overseas you should be able to have a beer. What an idiot this oyaji is!