In the heated election four years ago, young voters who normally skip the polls jumped on then Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's reform bandwagon and helped his Liberal Democratic Party race to an overwhelming victory.
Now that a change of administration is on the table, they may well show up again Aug. 30, more likely this time in favor of the Democratic Party of Japan though not necessarily out of enthusiasm for the main opposition party, according to young advocacy group leaders.
"This will be, in my view, the most crucial and meaningful election in postwar Japan. I'm excited," said Kensuke Harada, a 23-year-old student at the University of Tokyo who was below the voting age of 20 in the previous Lower House election in 2005.