On Coming-of-Age Day, new adults should ponder once again how they will live their lives in the future by thinking about how to interact with society and fulfill their responsibilities as adults.
A total of 1.25 million people joined the club of adults on the day. We want to celebrate their new beginning.
Since 1998, when these new adults were born, Japan has been stricken by an array of natural disasters. Each time, young people's devoted hard work has contributed greatly to the restoration and reconstruction of affected areas.
In the city of Uwajima, Ehime Prefecture, which suffered such severe damage as the destruction of mandarin orange groves amid heavy rains that wreaked havoc on western Japan last summer, the coming-of-age ceremony was held Jan. 2.
Yurika Ninomiya, who made a speech representing new adults, volunteered to perform such tasks as transporting drinking water and removing dirt under the scorching sun. She said on the podium, "I learned about the importance of supporting each other with smiles, especially in times of hardship."
Volunteer work in disaster-stricken areas, which started drawing attention with the 1995 Great Hanshin Earthquake, has taken root as an activity that contributes to society.
Working hard and earnestly for the benefit of residents in affected areas -- such joint operations involving people of different generations and social positions will help young people develop a new view of life and provide them with a chance to take a new look at their own hometowns and regional communities.
Volunteer experience key
Ema Negishi, 27, a resident of Kesennuma, Miyagi Prefecture, works with a group engaged in community building. When she was a university student in Tokyo, she worked to clean up houses that were damaged in the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and deepened her interactions with local residents.
Looking at fishermen and housewives working hard, "I was utterly moved, as I felt the responsibility held by adults," Negishi said. What she experienced in disaster-affected areas must have greatly helped her growth.
After graduation, she moved without hesitation to Kesennuma. Together with other young people in their 20s who migrated to the city, she has been sharing information about the area's regional charms online, including its rich nature and lifestyle.
There are perspectives one can gain by stepping forward with courage.
Hisako Miura, 27, who is involved in farming and selling oysters under a fisherman in Rikuzentakata, Iwate Prefecture, moved there from Kanagawa Prefecture five years ago, after falling in love with the region through volunteer activities.
Living in the metropolitan area, it is difficult to grasp the real situation of exhausted regional areas. Looking back, Miura said that "a world has opened up that was unknown to me."
Acceptance of human resources from other countries will expand from this spring in various fields. A wide perspective becomes more important to understand each other's sense of values.
The revised Civil Code, which would lower the age of majority to 18, will be enforced three years from now. At the time of enforcement, people aged from 18 to 20 will all become adults. Junior high school students aged 15 now should be aware that they will become adults in three years.
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Jan. 14, 2019)
Read more from The Japan News at https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/
