Youths inspire peers to vote in national elections

Rintaro Arakawa, center, a sophomore at Keio University, watches high school students count votes during a mock election held at a high school in Hachioji, western Tokyo, on June 11. (Credit: The Yomiuri Shimbun)

Campaigning for the July 10 House of Councillors election has officially kicked off. Whenever an election is held, the familiar problem of low turnout among younger voters arises.

In 2016, the voting age was lowered to 18. The upcoming upper house election will be the first national election to be held since the age of adulthood was also lowered to 18 in April.