All smiles: celebrating adulthood

The Yomiuri Shimbun

17:52 JST, January 9, 2023

Ukrainian students and other young adults in kimono pose for a photo after attending a Coming-of-Age ceremony in Dazaifu, Fukuoka Prefecture, on Sunday. Japan on Monday marked its first Coming-of-Age Day since the revised Civil Code took effect in April last year, lowering the age of majority to 18 from 20. Traditional ceremonies were held across the nation with many municipalities inviting people who have reached or will turn 20 this fiscal year. The Dazaifu city government ceremony included 19 Ukrainian people including students who fled to Japan following Russia’s invasion of their country and who now study at the Japan University of Economics.