July 24, 2026

The youth advocacy group Japan Youth Council (JYC), working to present political parties with policy proposals, exchanged views with Japanese Communist Party Policy Commission Chair Yamazoe Taku (House of Councillors) on July 22 in the JCP head office in regard to young people’s participation in politics.

JYC director Hideshima Chieko, who is a university student, handed to Yamazoe their policy proposals under the themes of youth political participation, education, labor/social security, gender equality, and environment/climate change. She called on the JCP to work to lower the age at which people can run in elections to 18 and revise the Public Offices Election Act so that minors can engage in election campaigning.

Yamazoe in response said, “It is a matter of course that the age of candidacy should be lowered to 18, the same age as the voting age.” He expressed his determination to work hard to make election campaigning more accessible in order to ensure the younger generation’s positive engagement in politics.

In response to another university student Shinohara Ikki, who called for the improvement of the public “scholarship (student loan)” programs, Yamazoe stated, “It is only natural to make student loans interest-free. The need is to shift to a ‘scholarship’ program centering on grants.” Noting that student loan repayments weigh heavily on young adults, he promised to tackle this issue.

High school student Hara Makoto mentioned the issue in which rising rents in the Tokyo metropolitan area are placing a burden on household finances, and proposed the creation of a rent subsidy program available to young people including university students.

Stating, “I’m all for it,” Yamazoe expressed his determination to make efforts to enable individuals whose rent exceeds 20% of their income to be eligible for a tax reduction. He also indicated his intent to push the government to take action to rein in the soaring increase in rents.