The Diet on Tuesday enacted revisions to the 1949 Juvenile Law, paving the way for the state to drastically toughen its rehabilitation-oriented juvenile policy by lowering the minimum age at which children can be held criminally liable for their deeds.
The amendments are in response to a string of heinous crimes committed by teenagers that attracted massive media attention.
The legislation, which was supported by the ruling coalition -- the Liberal Democratic Party, New Komeito and the New Conservative Party -- as well as the Democratic Party of Japan and the Liberal Party, will take effect April 1.