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. Even if you are of legal drinking age, you are not allowed to drive a vehicle (including a bicycle) under the influence of alcohol. Drunk driving is severely punished in Japan: with a fine of up to 1,000,000 yen or up to 5 years in prison. Note that passengers of a drunk driver are also subject to severe penalties: if you know that the driver is under the influence of alcohol, you are responsible for not letting that person drive. Since alcohol consumption can seriously impair decision-making and motor performance, drunk driving can have catastrophic consequences. Don`t drive after drinking alcohol and don`t let anyone drive if you know they`ve been drinking. 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. Especially for people who come from countries where drinking and smoking begins at the age of 18, the age restrictions in Japan for buying and consuming alcohol as well as the smoking age in Japan can be surprising: they must be 20 years old and in possession of a valid ID (for foreigners, a residence permit is sufficient). If you want to buy alcohol, present it, much like you would in your own country, pay and leave with the libations of your choice. In Japan, as in other countries, you can be arrested if you are deemed too young – a flattering situation for some and an obstacle for others! In Japan, you can legally get a driver`s license at the age of 18.
Each schedule to get their driver`s license is different, but it`s not uncommon for high school students to start attending driving school at the age of seventeen and get their driver`s license at the age of 18 at the earliest. From the age of 16, Japanese teenagers can obtain a motorcycle or moped driver`s license. However, to obtain a “normal” driver`s licence, the applicant must be at least 18 years old when passing the final test. An 18-year-old can also legally buy a car. What is the legal drinking age where you live? There are countries where you are of legal age at 18 and others where the legal age is 20 or 21. In Japan, people are considered adults at age 20. We all know that something that is legal in one country may be illegal in another. For example, even if you are of legal age in your home country, you may be considered a minor if you travel abroad. No one wants to break the law without knowing it on vacation! To avoid accidental incidents, here are eight of the most important laws you need to know before coming to Japan. 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. Of the 190 countries, 61% have an alcohol consumption age of 18 or 19. The United States and 11 other countries have an MLDA of 21, the highest MLDA of any country where it is legal to drink (although some parts of India have drinking ages of 25 and 30). Alcohol is banned in 16 countries, all Muslim, although some have exceptions for non-Muslims. According to a survey by the Beer Brewers Association, a group of beer manufacturers, about 15% of all Japanese did not know that alcohol consumption is prohibited before the age of 20, even if adulthood is lowered. In response, the Beer Brewers Association, along with about 62,000 convenience stores and supermarkets across the country, led a campaign in April 2022 to call for the prevention of alcohol consumption among under-20s.
