In the United States it took political activism triggered by protests over the Vietnam War to start serious debate about lowering the voting age from 21 to 18.
But for Japan, a nation where the burgeoning elderly population calls the shots and political apathy and cynicism among the younger generation abounds, simply generating meaningful dialogue about teenage voting is the real conundrum.
Japan passed legislation last month to lower the voting age from 20 to 18, starting in summer 2016, a move that will add a pool of 2.4 million 18- and 19-year-old voters to the electorate and place the country in line with other developed nations.