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arashitranslation
Coming of Age Day 2017
Today is Coming of Age Day.
To those who come to be adult, congratulations.
In 1946, at currently Warabi City of Saitama Prefecture, there was a “Youth Matsuri”.
That was said to be the origin of the Japan Coming of Age Ceremony.
But at that time the ceremony was held in “November” but not January.
“To the youngsters who were in collapse because of losing the war
it is hoped that they would hold bright hope”
the ceremony started with this purpose.
After two years, “to celebrate and encourage youngsters who realise that they have grown up
and try to live life by themselves”
with such purpose
the national law decided 15 January to be “Coming of Age Day”.
However initially it was not established
the venue for the Coming of Age Ceremony was baseball field
there was rattling [towards the Ceremony] too.
Then time flows and it is 2017 Coming of Age Ceremony.
In the country there are around 1,230,000 people which is 20,000 more than previous year
who newly joined to be adults.
I had my Coming of Age Ceremony in 2002.
At that time there were around 1,520,000 people
during this 15 years there has been a decrease of around 300,000 people.
So people who newly become adults in 2017,
what characteristics do they have?
We have a survey to the new adults.
Firstly the “philosophy of romance”
“I want to be the one who declares love”
accounted for 25% of new adults in total.
And then “philosophy of work”.
“Rather than promotion I put priority on private life”
accounted for 76% of new adults.
It seems that new adults treasure
the balance between work and life.
And as for the information channel of news and topics
New adults use TV as primary information channel, followed by
SNS such as twitter and Facebook.
And then the biggest characteristic of 2017 new adults is that
due to the change in election system
it is the “first generation” who have the rights to vote when they reached 19 years old last year.
About voting at the age of 19
the new adults were interviewed at the Coming of Age Ceremony venue today.
■New Adult (Had voted)
Q: Did you go to vote?
“Yes, I did.
I really felt like being an adult”
■New Adult (Had voted)
“Because my review would be reflected.
and then I should go to vote because it is my rights
I thought so then I went to vote”
■New Adult (Had not yet voted)
“I haven’t gone to vote.
The world may surely change isn’t it,
because of my vote.
I thought I was not yet eligible to vote because my thought was still not mature enough”
■New Adult (Had not yet voted)
“Unless I become adult and understand politics
I may make little of my vote”
For those who “have not gone to vote”
many thought that
“It is too early for me to vote”.
On the other hand, as a result of becoming an adult
there were also people saying “I want to go to vote next time”.
At last, they were asked this question.
“Do you think the future of Japan is bright? Or dim?”
■New Adult (The future of Japan is “bright”)
“There will be Tokyo Olympics in 2020 as well
it will become more lively.
Foreigners (tourists) will come
and I think it is a good thing”
■New Adult (The future of Japan is “dim”)
“My parents were in the bubble generation and I heard that if they didn’t wave money in hand
taxi wouldn’t stop for them.
“(Compared with that era, now)
money is not circulating in the society”
■New Adult (The future of Japan is “dim”)
“Since I also have a child I search for nursery
but due to the “wait-listed children issue” I can’t find one”
■New Adult (The future of Japan is “bright”)
”I hope Japan can develop in the world in a global sense.
Keeping the “Japanese spirit” of Japanese
and how to publicise it overseas
is the key”
This is the result of interviewing 100 new adults.
61 people answered “bright”
39 people answered “dim”.
It was 15 years ago when I attended the Coming of Age Ceremony.
At that time I did not imagine that I would be standing here [as news caster]
and continue this duty for 10 years.
Dream is something beyond our imagination.
To all new adults, I hope you would take challenges
without narrowing your own possibilities.
Source: News Zeroイチメン (http://www.ntv.co.jp/zero/ichimen/2017/01/2017.html)