Legal marriage age for Japanese women likely to be raised to 18
TOKYO - In relation to its recent move to amend the Civil Code to lower the age of legal adulthood from 20 to 18, Japan's Justice Ministry has begun to consider raising the legal marriage age for females to 18, the same age at which males are legally all
“We need to consider the issue of legal marriage ages [which currently differ between men and women], as well as discuss lowering the age of legal adulthood,” the minister said at a press conference held after the Cabinet meeting on the day.
The Civil Code stipulates that men can marry at 18 or older while women can do so at 16 or older. According to a senior ministry official, the age difference derives from the belief that “women grow faster than men both physically and mentally.”
The Legislative Council, an advisory panel to the justice minister, submitted a report in 1996 and again in 2009 recommending the ministry fix the legal marriage age at 18 for both men and women. The 2009 report clearly states that “marriage ages should be set at 18 for both men and women at the same time the Civil Code is amended to lower the age of adulthood to 18.”
However, some observers have voiced concern over the fact that the amendment will prevent 16- and 17-year-old females from marrying. There is also concern about raising the marriage age for women amid a situation in which fewer children are being born. In response to such viewpoints, sources say the ministry will carefully discuss the amendment.
