It's "Coming-Of-Age Day" today.

The second Monday of January is a “Coming-Of-Age Day.” In Japan, 20 years old is a turning age of becoming an adult. This year, approximately 1.26 million young people turned adult. You can drink, smoke, vote, bet on horse racing, bicycle racing or motor boat racing, make a contract and get married without your parents’ consent etc. In addition, you have to participate in the national pension system, have to undertake a lay judge at a criminal case if chosen.

I really hope they have interest in politics. In Japan, voting rate of young people are quite law. A poll says the voting rate of 20 – 29 years old were under 40%. I think it strange because another poll that showed the most interested issue for the new adults last year was “Consumption Tax hike” and the second one was “Situation of the Japan’s market.” These are both political issues but most of them don’t vote. Moreover, another internet poll says that only 34% of this year’s new adults expect that Japan’s future will be bright, falling by 10 points compared with last year.

They are interested in concrete issues rather than airy abstract things and are not optimistic on Japan’s future. Why don’t they vote?