Regarding the editorial "Voter ed for high school students" in the Oct. 18 edition, I strongly support the idea of giving high school students voter education.
I am currently a senior in high school preparing to spread my wings and take part in society. However, if someone had asked me what is the most impactful thing I could do to take part in society, I would not have been able to come up with a quick answer. This is a major problem because it is something about which we are all aware: voting.
Voting comes first before anything else. I am embarrassed to say I did not know about the importance of voting until recently, when I was educated about politics, and I am sure I am not the only high schooler like this. The fact that the government is going to educate high school students about voting with the emphasis on keeping the content neutral is a righteous decision, especially because of the low voter turnout among people in their 20s.
In recent years, there has been increasing concern about the population crisis in Japan. With the growing number of elderly people and a low birthrate on top of that, it is important for citizens in Japan to think of ways they can tackle this issue.
I am aware that this issue is going to affect me even more in the future, and I am stoked that the government lowered the minimum voting age to 18 because I finally feel like I have a say in the government and I can directly participate in society.
The opinions expressed in this letter to the editor are the writer's own and do not necessarily reflect the policies of The Japan Times.