ABSTRACT
In the summer of 2016, the minimum voting age was lowered from 20 to 18 years old, bringing Japan into line with most democracies in the world. In preparation for this new demographic to begin voting, civic and voter education programs have been introduced in high schools. With the expansion of the voter and civic education curriculums, controversies have arisen regarding political content being presented in an unbiased manner in the classroom. While old rules and regulations restricting political content from being taught in schools are being lifted, new regulations are being enacted and emphasized in the curriculum to deter “illegal participation.” There are also worries that high school students will be too highly impressionable and, therefore, easily manipulated, leading to a divided student body and politicized schools. This chapter will frame the controversy surrounding these new voters into the larger discussion of the channels and pitfalls of political participation in Japan.
