Using The Daily Yomiuri in the Classroom
Simon Goddard Weedon Special to The Daily Yomiuri
This month's article deals with a proposed major change to Japan's legal and political landscape and should be of interest to students of all ages. A new activity shows students how to start "chunking" text to process information more effectively, while the Language transfer section provides a communicative activity tried and tested in Japanese classrooms.
Govt may cut age of majority to 18
Although the ruling parties' national referendum bill / to set procedures / for revising the Constitution / stipulates, in principle, / that 18-year-olds / will be allowed to vote, / caution still prevails / in the government / and the ruling parties / who are / against lowering / the age of majority / to 18, / from the present 20. If the bill passes the Diet, 18-year-olds will officially be deemed adults--a move that would greatly alter society.
An attached provision of the bill stipulates that studies should be conducted to decide the voting age, and also to decide the age of adulthood, before the national referendum law comes into effect in three years' time.
About 30 related laws are expected to be subject to such studies, including the Juvenile Law and the Road Traffic Law.
Speaking at a press conference Friday, Justice Minister Jinen Nagase said if the national referendum law is enacted, the Civil Code and Juvenile Law must be reviewed. However, Nagase was cautious--saying a considerable number of laws have different roles for deciding the age of adulthood.
Article 4 of the Civil Code stipulates that the age of adulthood is 20, and it has not been changed since the law came into effect in 1898.
If the adult age is lowered, 18- and 19-year-olds will be able to buy and sell assets, and marry without parental consent. But some Liberal Democratic Party members have voiced concern, with one saying, "Traditional Japanese family values will be changed."
If the Juvenile Law, which states that those under 20 are minors, is revised, those aged 18 and 19 will be tried by the criminal law system if they commit a crime, and not the present juvenile trial system. Punishments will automatically become tougher.
A senior official at the Justice Ministry who is opposed to the move, said, "Application of the Juvenile Law is decided in consideration of mental maturity. Deciding to lower the age by two years will make things difficult."
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Alcohol and tobacco unaffected
If the Public Offices Election Law is revised, the number of voters in national and local elections will increase.
According to the latest national census, as of Oct. 1, 2005, there were about 2.71 million 18- and 19-year-olds in the nation.
According to a National Diet Library study, 162 nations and territories, including Britain, France and the United States, or 87 percent of 186 nations and territories, allow 18-year-olds to vote.
Some LDP members support voting rights at 18, because it is a global standard. But others are wary of such a move, saying young people's votes would flow toward the main opposition Democratic Party of Japan.
A senior LDP official said laws relating to the age at which people can legally smoke tobacco and drink alcohol were unrelated to the national referendum law and are not expected to be subjected to study.
(The Daily Yomiuri, April 16, Page 2)
STUDENTS' ACTIVITIES
-- Dictionary work
Use a bilingual or learner dictionary and check the meaning of these words: assets, census, deem, referendum, juvenile, prevail, stipulate
-- Grammar search
Look at the following type 1 conditional pattern: If + simple present, simple future (will + verb). Now highlight all the examples of this pattern in the article.
-- Reading strategies
The first paragraph has been divided up to make it easier to read each idea in a long sentence. The key words have also been highlighted. As you read, highlight the key words in the rest of the article to help understand the main ideas.
-- Reading comprehension 1
1. Which law states that adulthood starts at 20?
2. When did this become law?
3. When was the last census conducted?
4. How many 18-19 year olds are there in Japan?
5. How many countries set adulthood at 18?
-- Reading comprehension 2
If the age of adulthood is lowered to 18, what will change? (NOTE there are five definite changes and one possible change)
-- Language transfer
Draw a timeline from birth to death. Now mark all the key ages in Japan (e.g., primary school [age 6], coming of age ceremony [age 20])
a) Discuss your memories of / plans for each major event.
b) Choose two events that you'd like to change the age for.
Use the type 1 conditional pattern to describe the benefits.
Then discuss your ideas with other class members.
NOTES FOR TEACHERS
-- Dictionary work
The words are less frequent and may confuse students. The activity gets them using their dictionary before reading rather than interrupting as they read.
-- Reading strategies
Breaking a text into meaning chunks, and highlighting key words, shows the students how a fluent reader approaches the article.
-- Reading comprehension 1
Answers are: 1. Civil Code, Article 4; 2. 1898; 3. Oct. 1 2005; 4. 2.71 million; 5. 162
-- Reading comprehension 2
Answers: 1. can buy/sell assets; 2. marry without consent; 3. tried by criminal law; 4. punishments will be tougher; 5. number of voters will increase; 6. Democratic Party of Japan will probably get more votes
-- Language transfer
If students are stuck, the following list might be useful--3/5/7, primary school/middle/high/ university, driving license, drink/smoke/vote, retire
Weedon has 10 years' experience teaching English in Japan. He is also the coordinator for the Oita chapter of English Teachers in Japan. Contact him with any questions about the ideas in this column at gweedon 1971@nifty.com.
(May. 11, 2007)