From April, people age 18 and 19 in Japan will legally be classed as adults and will be given more freedom in making life choices without parental consent — albeit not without criminal responsibilities, due to planned amendments to the Civil Code and Juvenile Law.

What will be changed in this legislation and how will those changes affect the late teens? Why will 18-year-olds and 19-year-olds be viewed as adults? How harsh will punishment for transgressions by such young adults be?

Here is a look at the planned amendments in more detail.