The minimum voting age in national referendums to amend the Constitution was lowered to 18 from 20 on Thursday as part of a series of moves to encourage civic participation by young people.

The lowering of the voting age for referendums brings it into line with the voting age for elections, which was similarly lowered in 2016 to 18 years.

The Diet had already passed a law to lower the age of adulthood from 20 to 18 from April 2022.