According to a questionnaire survey conducted by NHK at the ages of 18 and 19 who will become adults on the 1st of next month due to the reduction of the adult age, 5 people answered that they are more anxious about becoming an adult. Many people said that they didn't feel it as a specific anxiety.

Before the adult age is reduced from 20 to 18, NHK conducted a questionnaire survey on the Internet earlier this month, and as of the 1st of next month, there are 1034 new adults aged 18 and 19 and 18 children. We received responses from 1062 parents aged 19 and 19.



When asked about becoming an adult from next month, 37%


of the new adults


answered "enjoyment" and "more or less fun"


▽ "anxiety" and "more or less anxiety" 47%


▽ " I don't know "was 16%.



Among parents, 61% of the respondents said they were worried about their children becoming adults, which was more than 10 points higher than that of new adults.



By lowering the adult age, 18- and 19-year-olds will be able to make contracts such as credit cards, loans, and renting rooms without the consent of their parents, but they will not be able to use the "minor cancellation right" to cancel the contract. increase.



Under these circumstances, when asked about "what I want to do" in multiple answers


,


▽ "make a credit card" was the most common 45%


▽ "part-time job" 37%


▽ already 18 years old or older is possible 22% of the respondents gave "voting in elections".



As for "what I want parents to do,"


▽ "voting" was the most common at 54%,


▽ "part-time job" was 38%


, and "independence from parents" was 33%.



On the other hand, when asked about "I'm worried" in multiple answers,

▽ "I don't feel it" was the highest at 48% among


new adults.



▽ "Troubles related to MLM, etc." was 34%


▽ "High-priced shopping with credit cards, etc." was followed by 27%.



Among parents,


the percentage of those who cited ▽ "trouble" and ▽ "expensive shopping" is about 20 points higher than that of new adults.



When asked if they were ready to become adults at the age of 18


▽ About 40% of new adults and parents feel


"ready" ▽ About 6 people feel "not ready" It was a good deal.

High school students "early" "not really feeling"

From April, I became a third year high school student, and many high school students in Tokyo who will become adults during the next fiscal year said that they didn't really feel it.



A female student who will be a "new adult" on her 18th birthday next month said, "I know about the reduction by watching the news, but I don't really feel it at all. It's hard to get into consumer trouble. I want to tighten my mind from the age of 18. "



Similarly, a boy who will turn 18 next month said, "I thought that adults are early at the age of 18. I think it's amazing to be able to make contracts that I couldn't do before. I want to be an adult who can do it. "



Another boy said, "I've always thought that adults are 20 years old, so I can't really feel that I'm 18 years old. It's okay to study hard so that you can protect yourself. I want to grow up. "

Expert "Discussion to support new adults"

Regarding the results of the questionnaire, Associate Professor Satoshi Kamiuchi of the Hyogo University of Teacher Education Graduate School, who is also a lawyer and a teacher of social studies, said, "I have the impression that many of the students I teach do not really feel. However, most of them are not financially independent from their parents, so even if they say that they will grow up at the age of 18 while they are still in school, I don't think they really feel it. "



On top of that, "I think that the impact on society will not be small because the system that has continued for more than 100 years will change. What kind of knowledge should new adults acquire, what kind of possibilities are there, only in the educational field I think it is necessary to have discussions that support new adults from various angles in society as a whole. "



Then, as we approached April, we said, "We want the adults to have a good opportunity to develop a sense of independence and responsibility, and parents will be able to contract with their children on their own initiative. I think communication at home is important. "