Japan’s coming of age to be lowered to 18 years old

admin 2018年7月12日

Vocabulary:

civic /SIV-ik/

[adjective] relating to the duties or activities of people in relation to their town
Your sense of civic duty is admirable.

allowable /uh-LOU-uh-buhl/

[adjective] allowed according to the rules or laws that control a particular area of activity
The scientists found that the nicotine in this brand of cigarette is beyond the allowable level.

exploitation /ek-sploi-TEY-shuhn/

[noun] the act of using someone unfairly for your own advantage
The exploitation of women in the country caused protests worldwide.

scam /skam/

[noun] an illegal plan for making money, especially one that involves tricking people
They arrested the people who were involved in the insurance scam.

permissible /per-MIS-uh-buhl/

[adjective] permitted; allowed
Our teacher said that talking during class was not permissible.

Young adults in Japan will now be able to practice their civic rights much earlier than before. The Cabinet has passed a bill that will revise the age of adulthood in Japan. The bill, which was passed last March 2018, will change the allowable age for marriage to 18 years old. It will also allow 18-year-olds and above to sign mobile phone and credit card contracts without their parents’ or guardians’ consent.

Getting their own credit cards and applying for loans are some of the problems that young adults may face. As a solution, some ministries are planning to raise awareness starting with students in high school. It will also serve as a guide on the responsibilities that come along with their civic rights. A revised bill submitted to the Diet will prevent young people’s exploitation on financial scams. Moreover, the government also made the cancellation of business contracts permissible.

True or False:

People in Japan can marry at the age of 16.
Cancelling business contract is allowed.
Only 18 and 19 years old can sign mobile phone contracts and credit cards.
The Diet would like young people to avoid getting scammed.
The ministries plan to raise awareness starting with junior high school students.

Discussion Questions:

Do you think lowering the coming of age in Japan is a good idea? Why or why not?
Should young adults decide to get married without their parents’ permission? Defend your answer.
Should there be a minimum age requirement in owning a credit card? Discuss.
What do you think is the best age to get married?
How can the government encourage young adults to be interested in politics?

Express Your Opinion:

“The nicest thing about coming of age is that I can do whatever I like.” – Cilla Black
“Age is a question of mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter.” – Leroy “Satchel” Paige
“A child becomes an adult when he realizes that he has a right not only to be right but also to be wrong.” – Thomas Szasz