Politician’s Ulterior Motive for Lowering the Voting Age

Close Up Japan | 選挙権年齢を18歳に引き下げた政治家の思惑

Politician’s Ulterior Motive for Lowering the Voting Age

In June an electoral law to lower the voting age from 20 to 18 years old was approved. It will be put into practice next summer when elections are held for the Upper House. Because of this, the number of voters will increase by 2.4 million. Up until this happens all high schools in Kanagawa Prefecture are carrying out “mock elections” after school. Approximately 17,000 students from 146 schools in the prefecture voted in the Upper House elections of 2013, with a voter turnout of 40.6%. When the reasons for the low turnout were analyzed, it became clear that being unable to understand the difference between parties and policies, the students had no idea of who they should vote for. Some people are worried that by granting these voting rights, politicians may be able to manipulate a generation that is not much interested in politics. In fact, in the past few decades hardly any young people voluntarily take part in political rallies. It is probable that by giving their approval (for younger people to vote), the major parties had the ulterior motive of gaining a new base of supporters. However, in order to win over young people there’s an urgent need to consider Internet voting. At this time, with the voting age being 18 in 90% of the world’s 191 countries and territories, this has become a global trend. In line with this change, some people think that the age of adulthood should be lowered from 20 to 18. In recent years there’s been a tendency for those of a younger age to commit more violent crimes. Now those aged 20 and above are sentenced as adults, but many people strongly believe that this age should be lowered to 18. In any case, this revision will affect Japan’s politics.

選挙権せんきょけん年齢ねんれい
sennkyo nennrei ga
(the) voting age
20歳にじゅっさい
nijyussai
twenty [years old]
から
kara
from
18歳じゅうはっさい
jyuuhassai
eighteen years old
ni
to
げられる
hikisagerareru
to lower
選挙法せんきょほう
sennkyohou ga
(an) electoral law
6月ろくがつ
rokugatsu
June
ni
in
成立せいりつしました。
seiritsu shimashita.
was approved
参議院さんぎいん選挙せんきょ
sanngiinn sennkyo ga
elections for (the) Upper House
おこなわれる
okonawareru
are held
来年らいねん なつ
rainenn natsu
next summer
から
kara
when <from>
適用てきよう されます。
tekiyou saremasu.
(it) will be put into practice
これにより
koreniyori
because of this
有権者ゆうけんしゃ
yuukennsha ha
(the number of) voters
240万にひゃくよんじゅうまんにん
nihyakuyonnjyuumann ninn
two point four million [people]
えます。
fuemasu.
will increase (by)
これに先立さきだ
koreni sakidachi
up until this (happens)
神奈川県かながわけん
kanagawakenn
Kanagawa Prefecture
では、
deha,
in
全県立ぜんけんりつ高校こうこう
zenn kennritsu koukou de
all high schools
放課ほうか
houkago ni
after school
模擬もぎ投票とうひょう」を
mogi touhyou wo
mock elections
実施じっししてきました。
jisshi shite kimashita.
are carrying out
2013にせんじゅうさんねん
‪nisennjyuusannnenn
two thousand thirteen [year]
no
of
参議院さんぎいん選挙せんきょ
sanngiinnsennkyo
(the) Upper House elections
では
deha
in
県内けんない
kennnai
in (the) prefecture
146ひゃくよんじゅうろくこう
hyakuyonnjyuuroku kou
one hundred forty-six schools
で、
de,
from
やく
yaku
approximately
1万7千いちまんななせんにん
ichimannnanasenn ninn no
seventeen thousand [people]
生徒せいと
seito ga
students
投票とうひょうし、
touhyou shi,
voted
投票率とうひょうりつ
touhyouritsu ha
(a) voter turnout (of)
40.6よんじゅってんろく%ぱーせんと
yonnjyuttennroku pa-sennto
forty-point six percent
でした。
deshita.
with
投票率とうひょうりつひく
touhyouritsu no hikusa
(the) low turnout
no
for
原因げんいん
genninn wo
(the) reasons
分析ぶんせきしてみる
bunnseki shitemiru
were analyzed
to
when
政党せいとう
seitou
(between) parties
ya
and
政策せいさく
seisaku no
policies
ちがいが
chigaiga
(the) difference
わからず、
wakarazu,
being unable to understand
だれ
dare ni
who
投票とうひょうしていいのか
touhyou shite iinoka
(they) should vote for
わからない
wakaranai
(the students) had no idea (of)
ことが
koto ga
that
あらわれています。
arawarete imasu.
(it) became clear
政治せいじ
seiji
politics
ni
in
あまり
amari
much
関心かんしんのない
kannshinn no nai
(that) is not interested
世代せだい
sedai ni
(a) generation
選挙権せんきょけん
sennkyo kenn wo
(these) voting rights
あたえると、
ataeru to,
by granting
政治家せいじか
seijika ni
politicians
利用りようされるおそれがあるのでは
riyou sareru osore ga aru no deha
may be able to manipulate
to
that
心配しんぱいする
shinnpai suru
are worried
ひと
hito
people
もいます。
mo imasu.
some
実際じっさい
jissai,
in fact
政治的せいじてき
seijiteki na
political
デモでも
demo
rallies
ni
in
自発的じはつてき
jihatsuteki ni
voluntarily
参加さんかした
sannka shita
take part
若者わかものは、
wakamono ha,
(any) young people
ここ数十すうじゅうねん
koko suujyuu nenn
(in the) past few decades
ほとんどいません。
hotonndo imasenn.
hardly
主要しゅよう政党せいとうには、
shuyou seitou niha,
(the) major parties
承認しょうにんして
syouninn shite
by giving (their) approval (for younger people to vote)
あたらしい支持層しじそう
atarashii shijisou wo
(a) new base of supporters
獲得かくとくしたい
kakutoku shitai
gaining
思惑おもわく
omowaku ga
(the) ulterior motive (of)
ありそうです。
arisou desu.
had (It) is probable (that)
しかし、
shikashi,
however
若者わかもの
wakamono wo
young people
むには
torikomu niha
in order to win (over)
インターネットいんたーねっとによる
innta-netto ni yoru
net
投票とうひょう
touhuo mo
voting
早急そうきゅう
soukyuu ni
urgent
検討けんとうする
kenntou suru
to consider
必要ひつよう
hituyou ga
a(n) need
あります。
arimasu.
there’s
現在げんざい
gennzai,
at this time
191ひゃくきゅうじゅういちカ国かこく地域ちいき
hyakukyuujyuuichi kakoku chiiki
(the world’s) one hundred ninety-one countries and territories
のうち
no uchi
of
9きゅうわり
kyuuwari
ninety percent
no
in
選挙権せんきょけん年齢ねんれい
sennkyokenn nennrei ga
(the) voting age
18じゅうはっさい
jyuuhassai
being eighteen [years old]
で、
de,
with
世界せかい
sekai no
global
ながれと
nagare to
(a) trend
なっています。
natte imasu.
(this) has become
この変更へんこう
kono hennkou
this change
ともない、
ni tomonai,
in line with
成人せいじん年齢ねんれい
seijinn nennrei mo
(the) age of adulthood
20歳にじゅっさい
nijyussai
twenty [years old]
から
kara
from
18じゅうはっさい
jyuuhass sai
eighteen [years old]
ni
to
げる
hikisageru
be lowered
べき
beki
should
との
tono
that
意見いけんもあります。
ikenn mo arimasu.
some people think
近年きんねん
kinnnenn
in recent years
低年齢層ていねんれいそう
teinennreisou
(a) younger age [group]
no
of
ひとたちが
hito tachi ga
(for) those
凶悪きょうあく犯罪はんざい
kyouaku hannzai wo
(more) violent crimes
こす
hikiokosu
to commit
傾向けいこう
keikou ga
(a) tendency
あります。
arimasu.
there’s been
現在げんざい
gennzai
now
成人せいじん
seijinn
adults
として
to shite
as
20歳にじゅっさい以上いじょう
nijyussai ijyou no
aged twenty and above
ひとたちが
hito tachi ga
those
ばっせられます
basse rare masu
are sentenced
が、
ga,
but
その年齢ねんれい
sono nennrei wo
this <its> age
18じゅうはっさい
jyuuhassai
eighteen [years old]
ni
to
げる
hikisageru
lowered
べき
beki
should be
との
tono
that
つよこえがっています。
tsuyoi koe mo agatte imasu.
many people strongly believe <strong voice is also being raised>
いずれにしても、
izure ni shitemo,
in any case
今度こんど改正かいせい
konndo no kaisei ha
this revision
日本にほん政治せいじ
nihonn no seiji ni
Japan’s politics
影響えいきょうあたえそうです。
eikou wo atae sou desu.
will affect

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