Just as in many other countries, Japan's young voters view politicians as untrustworthy, while lawmakers consider youths completely apathetic and out of touch with the real world — especially when it comes to politics.
To mitigate this deep-rooted mutual distrust and attempt to boost the nation's disappointing voter turnout rate, three lawmakers and around 30 students met up at an "izakaya" (pub) in Tokyo this week for a rare, and at times shockingly blunt and frank, face-to-face talk over a few beers.
The students who took part in Wednesday's "nomikai," or drinking party, in Shibuya were mainly in their early 20s, but most have never had a chance to cast a ballot in a general election as they were too young to vote in the last Lower House vote in 2009.