Only a minor change

In Japan, even some adults might not be allowed to smoke in the future, according to a Kyodo News story relayed by the TMA.

A bill to amend the country’s Civil Code to lower the legal age of adulthood from 20 to 18 is likely to be submitted to the Diet’s extraordinary session this fall.

But the National Police Agency said last week that even if the legislation were approved, the legal age for smoking or drinking would remain 20.

Two laws under the agency’s jurisdiction ban minors, currently those aged below 20, from smoking or drinking.

The wording of these two laws are likely to be changed because they contain the term ‘minor’, which could be interpreted as meaning people under 18 if the nation’s legal age of adulthood is changed.

About 200 other laws would be affected by the amendment to the code, and changes to each would have to be debated individually.