Breaking News English

Japan's government has lowered the [old / age] at which people become adults. It is the first time since 1876 that this has happened. From the year 2022, [teenagers / teenaged] will become adults at the age of 18, which is two years earlier than the age at which adulthood currently [legal / legally] happens. However, even though the age has been [lowed / lowered] , there are still certain things that will not [charge / change] . The legal age for drinking alcohol, smoking and gambling will remain [fixing / fixed] at 20. The new law will [enable / capable] 18-year-olds to get married without parental consent, and allow them to [applicable / apply] for loans and credit cards. Transgender men and women [aged / ageing] 18 and over will be able to apply to courts to have their gender officially [recognition / recognized] .

The new law has been passed in an [effort / affront] to bring about social and economic change in Japan. The government hopes [for / to] see an increase in the number of [youngish / young] people getting married and starting [families / family] . This will help to address the nation's [dawdling / dwindling] birth rate and ageing population. Greater financial freedoms could be a [boost / boast] to the economy and provide more tax revenue. This is [ritual / vital] for a government struggling to [cope / coup] with increasing pension and healthcare payments. Many of Japan's young people were more [cornered / concerned] about how the law would affect the traditional Coming of Age Day. This is a national holiday held in January in which 20-year-olds dress up in traditional kimonos to [celebrate / celebratory] adulthood.