The Act Partially Amending the Civil Code (Related to Age of Majority)
The Act Partially Amending the Civil Code (Related to Age of Majority)
On June 13, 2018, a law was enacted to revise a part of the Civil Code by reducing the age of majority in the Civil Code from 20 to 18 years old.
The age of majority defined in the Civil Code is the age at which a person may conclude a contract without parental consent and the age at which a person is no longer subject to parental authority. This age had been stipulated as 20 years old since the Civil Code was established in 1896. It is said to have been taken from a proclamation of the Great Council of State in 1876.
The first review of the age of majority in the approximately 140 years since the proclamation in 1876 is believed to promote the social participation and vitalize society by having 18 and 19 year olds make decisions about their own lives.
In addition, the minimum age at which women could marry was previously set at 16 years old, while men could marry at 18 years old. However, it was decided to unify the minimum marriage age at 18 years old for both sexes.
For other laws and regulations that set age requirements, revisions are being performed to lower the minimum age to 18 as needed.
This revision will be effective from April 1, 2022.
The age of majority defined in the Civil Code is the age at which a person may conclude a contract without parental consent and the age at which a person is no longer subject to parental authority. This age had been stipulated as 20 years old since the Civil Code was established in 1896. It is said to have been taken from a proclamation of the Great Council of State in 1876.
The first review of the age of majority in the approximately 140 years since the proclamation in 1876 is believed to promote the social participation and vitalize society by having 18 and 19 year olds make decisions about their own lives.
In addition, the minimum age at which women could marry was previously set at 16 years old, while men could marry at 18 years old. However, it was decided to unify the minimum marriage age at 18 years old for both sexes.
For other laws and regulations that set age requirements, revisions are being performed to lower the minimum age to 18 as needed.
This revision will be effective from April 1, 2022.
Other
Please also refer to the Government Public Relations Online website for an easy-to-understand explanation about the reduction of the age of majority.