The Japanese government has enacted a bill that will lower the age of adulthood from 20 to 18! This change will go into affect in 2022!
For Americans, that comes as a surprise, as 18 is the age of adulthood here. This change is the first time the age of adulthood has been changed in Japan since it was set in 1876.
Now if you're wondering what 18-year-olds in Japan will be allowed to do, the biggest change is that they be able to get married without parental consent!
Currently, males over the age of 18 and females 16 and over can marry - but only with the say-so of their parents. Otherwise you need to be 20. Weird, right?
But the revised Civil Code raises the age at which women can get married and means all 18-year-olds will be able to wed without parental consent.
They'll also be able to apply for credit cards and make loans without parental approval and, if they want, they can obtain a passport valid for 10 years.
Those who have been diagnosed with Gender Identity Disorder will be able to apply to have their gender legally changed at the age of 18.
Though they are technically adults, 18-year-olds in Japan will remain banned from drinking alcohol, smoking, gambling and adopting children.
They'll still have to wait until they turn 20 for that.
This means that today's 14-year-olds will be among the first batch of teenagers to fall under the new law - only four years to go.