What I Want to Achieve as Prime Minister Kono Taro – 1: Lowering the Age of Eligibility to Run for Office to 18.
Originally, we planned to announce our policies on September 2nd, but due to the impact of the typhoon, it has been postponed to the 5th.
Therefore, I would like to start gradually sharing what Taro Kono aims to achieve online.
To encourage political participation among younger generations, I aim to lower the age of eligibility to run for office to 18, aligning it with the voting age.
During my visits, I have met many students and young people from NGOs who are actively working on revitalizing communities and local areas.
Among these young people, some already have policies they want to implement and are eager to challenge local and national politics.
I strongly encourage them to consider engaging in local and national politics as a personal endeavor.
Some may argue that 18 is too young, but there are many countries where the age of eligibility to run for office is 18.
Among the G7 countries, the UK, France, Germany, and Canada have set the eligibility age at 18. Additionally, other countries like Australia, New Zealand, Iceland, Austria, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Sweden, Spain, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Belgium, and Portugal also allow 18-year-olds to run for office.