On April 1, 2022, Japan lowered the legal adult age to 18. About two million people aged 18 and 19 became adults in Japan that day. Japanese 16-year-old girls are no longer allowed to marry, legal adulthood increases to 18 At first, girls were quite divided on whether or not they agreed with lowering adulthood, with the 32% who agree with the idea of legal adulthood from 18 are only slightly higher than the 27% who oppose it. Be aware that while some municipalities and prefectures have taken steps to recognize them and even in some cases issue certificates that are not legally binding, same-sex marriage is still not legal in Japan. However, in the case of transsexual couples where one partner is legally recognized as a man and the other as a woman, the usual marriage laws apply. I cannot help but wonder about the government`s motivation for investing the time and energy to make this change to the law. But if you go through the list of rights and restrictions, it seems pretty clear. As the legal and litigation system has long shown, this has little to do with the extension, promotion or protection of individual human rights. With an aging population and a low birth rate, lowering the legal age would increase the electoral pool. However, this is not limited to Japan. Globally and historically, this is what “Borg bureaucracies” have always wanted. Tolstoy was one of many who wrote about it.
Some creative problem solvers and social activists in Japan continue to rise and mature, but they do so despite educational, commercial, and political institutions. Not because of them. But what do the changes mean in terms of content? Let`s take a look. One of the main reasons for reducing adulthood is to give 18- and 19-year-olds the right to financial and social independence. Japanese high school students graduate at the age of 17 or 18, but those who start working instead of going to higher education currently remain legal minors, meaning they need their parents` permission to get their own apartment and apply for a credit card until age 20. For children from abusive or embittered families, this can leave them trapped in an unhealthy or precarious living environment, even if they work and are able to support themselves. The age of a Japanese person depends largely on his social position, the first years of school looking for work and even retirement. For about 140 years, adulthood in Japan has been set at 20, and even a special celebration called “Seijin no Hi” (or Coming of Age Day) is held on the second Monday of January for young men and women who have reached that age. The laws and rules of society change over time, and adulthood is no exception. In fact, legal adulthood in Japan has been lowered to 18 as of April 1, 2022. Although this does not affect traditional celebrations such as “seijin no hi”, it causes changes in marriage, rental age, etc.
Since 18 has become adulthood in Japan, you`d think that almost anything anyone can do would start at that age. However, this is not the case and some activities may require different ages. Whether you already live in Japan or are planning to move there, you need to be aware of certain age limits. Despite predictable complaints from business spokespeople that universities are not producing creative solutions to problems. That`s not what the company really wants. What the corporate nation-state culture wants is technically literate adherence to authority – hence one of the reasons Japan has so few PhDs. Such certification is often seen as a threat to authority rather than a financial asset to the company`s structure. Above all, the Japanese education system is so streamlined that it is characterized by respect for authority. For Westerners, Japan seems to be a planet apart.
With its tradition, heritage and centuries-old culture, it is a specific place that may not be entirely understandable to us foreigners. The ways of the Japanese can be confusing and incomprehensible to the rest of us. Contact with Japan usually leads to culture shock. Moving in and out of the house is no different. The traditions and customs of Japanese culture make everything different from the rest of the world. So what are some of the differences when it comes to leaving your parents` home in Japan? Cigarettes are available in convenience stores across Japan. Each type and brand of cigarette is numbered, and it helps remember how many cigarettes you prefer when buying at the supermarket (note that the number of cigarettes varies from store to store). Just say “(number) onegaishimasu (please)” and wait patiently while the person behind the counter hands you your tobacco. Zenji and Derek. I think you are right to take a cynical view of the right to vote. Unlike most modern countries, most recently Hong Kong or France, in Japan, you won`t see politically active young people handing out leaflets at train stations or intersections.
Just think of what the shushokukatsudo sensei of these students would say about their career prospects if such an activity were known. Instead, you will only find housewives or retirees who make political moves at the local level. Unlike young people, they do not depend directly on the corporate nation-state for their current or future success, and they have the experience, wisdom and concern to try to make Japan`s future more sustainable and equitable for all. It is part of the long-term trend in other countries to raise the minimum age of marriage. I think it`s fair to say that 16 is too young to make decisions like marriage, which can have massive, long-term consequences, and if you can`t vote until you`re 18, then it makes sense for me to wait until I`m 18 before I can do anything. which is supposed to be a big obligation like marriage. Marriage application procedures require several documents, including a civil marriage registration certificate (called Kekkon Todoke) and, if your partner is Japanese, their family registry (essentially a family tree, known as Koseki Tohon). No matter what stage you are in, it is advisable to have a valid passport, your residence card, as well as an official inkan or hanko (an ink stamp that you use for bank accounts, rental agreements, etc.) so that you can verify your identity at any time. Proposing can be a long process, but it`s worth it in the end! Once all the paperwork is done, a wedding is not far away.
The cost of renting an apartment is initially very high. The initial cost includes the first month`s rent, deposit, insurance, and a list of fees that must be paid in advance. These expenses can be double the monthly rent. The worst time to find housing is in February and March, as the majority of people move at that time. It can also be beneficial, as you may be lucky enough to find a good deal that would otherwise be taboo. Japan does not have the tradition of many Western countries that young people leave home at the age of 18 when they go to university or alone. However, the Japanese have to go through the same episodes of life as the rest of us. It can be hard to answer how different it is in Japan. Japan has come a long way to adapt to the path of the West, while tradition is being pushed back as it loses its influence on younger generations. There is a tendency to change and adapt to the West, so the gap between Western and Japanese culture is rapidly closing in favor of the West.
When the mass of “good” young people follow their carefully planned path, the few authorities are those who have inherited authority, or those who have managed to navigate and play the system for their own benefit, even if they develop it. especially the low percentage of personality types of the “black triad”. The pathological psychopaths, the Machiavellian opportunists and the morphologically defined psychopaths among us. Since “dark triads” tend to be born, not to age. Good parenting, education and guidance seem to have little impact on the creators of society. The adaptation of legal age limits for rights and obligations applies especially to more frequent neurotypical adolescents. Bullies come at any age. And who knows the future? Possible military responsibilities for what is now ranked as the 5th most powerful army in the world? Just like America, since 1942, a young man has had the right to be drafted into the military and die for his country at 18, three years younger than the right to take a sip of beer in most states. The change means that 18- and 19-year-olds can sign contracts such as cell phones, credit cards and apartments without parental consent. It also ends parents` legal responsibility to retain custody, care for and educate their children, according to the ministry`s brochure.
Earlier this month, Japan celebrated Growth Day and held congratulatory ceremonies for people who have recently or soon reached legal adulthood. However, this digital inflection point will change next year. If you are 18 or 19, your rights have changed and with them some of your responsibilities. Here`s what you can do now, what you couldn`t do before: This follows the revision of the Civil Code, which first set the legal age at 20 in 1876. This is the first time in more than 140 years that this has changed. The government only does what it does best by following the money. This time, by expanding the market for exploitative and consumable labor. In 2018, the Japanese government approved an amendment to the country`s Civil Code that will lower the legal majority from two years to 18 years on April 1, 2022.