Gov’t aims to submit bill to lower adult age by autumn

August 6, 2017

TOKYO- Justice Minister Yoko Kamikawa revealed on Friday plans to submit a bill by autumn's extraordinary session of Japan's Diet to amend the Civil Code to lower the country's adult age from 20 to 18.

"I will make my utmost effort to introduce the bill as soon as possible," Kamikawa told a press conference after the first regular meeting of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's new cabinet, launched the previous day.

The bill is expected to include a provision to unify the legal minimum age for marriage to 18 for both men and women, a change from the current minimum marriage age of 16 for women.

In 2009, the Legislative Council, which advises the justice minister, recommended lowering the age of maturity to 18.Jiji Press