Japanese Parliament approves adulthood age at 18
Tokyo, June 13 : The Japanese Parliament on Wednesday approved a bill to lower the age of adulthood from 20 to 18 years, a measure aimed at encouraging the participation of young people in the society in the face of a rapidly ageing population.
The measure, set to come into effect in April 2022, would allow young people over the age of 18 to marry without parental consent, although the legal age for drinking alcohol, smoking or gambling would continue to be 20, Efe news reported.
Men above 18 and women over the age of 16 were already allowed to get married in Japan with parental consent, but the new measure eliminates this clause and also raises the legal marriageable age for women to 18.
The new law is in line with the one already approved by the Parliament, or Diet, in June 2015, which reduced the minimum voting age from 20 to 18, the largest electoral reform in the country since 1945, putting it at par with most other democratic countries.
Justice Minister Yoko Kamikawa, following her vote in the Diet's Upper House, highlighted the significance of the new law that will empower those above 18 years of age to make their own life choices.
There will also be reviews of 22 other laws related to nationality and the issuance of passports.
The Diet last week also approved an amendment in the consumer contract law to protect vulnerable young consumers from economic fraud, so that transactions in which the seller exerts some kind of pressure on the consumer -- even if they are above 18 -- could be cancelled.
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'Red' alert for severe thunderstorms, hailstorms issued in Delhi
New Delhi (PTI): A "red" alert for severe thunderstorms and hailstorms was issued for Delhi late on Sunday evening, with some parts of the national capital placed under an "orange" alert, as residents were advised to be prepared for potentially-disruptive weather conditions.
A "red" alert stands for "take action", indicating severe weather conditions.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), severe thunderstorms accompanied by lightning, hailstorms, dust storms and moderate rainfall, along with gusty winds reaching speeds of up to 80 kmph, are very likely over the city, with some areas expected to witness moderate thunderstorm activity.
The IMD said a "red" alert has been issued for Outer North Delhi, Northwest Delhi, West Delhi, Southwest Delhi, parts of North Delhi, Central Delhi, Northeast Delhi and Shahdara, while South Delhi, Southeast Delhi and parts of North Delhi remain under an "orange" alert. Similar thunderstorm conditions are also likely at isolated places across various locations in Delhi-NCR.
The weather office warned of likely impacts, including the breaking of large tree branches, uprooting of weak or old trees, lightning strikes at vulnerable locations, such as tall trees and electric poles, and disruption of municipal services.
"Damage to kutcha houses, huts and weak structures, partial collapse of boundary walls, difficult driving conditions and possible road accidents are also likely. Vehicles may also be damaged due to falling branches or debris," it said.
Residents have been advised to move to safe buildings, avoid weak structures and stay away from windows during the storm.
Authorities have cautioned against taking shelter under trees or going near water bodies and advised people to unplug electrical equipment and avoid contact with metallic objects, water taps and pipes. People have also been asked to park vehicles in safe locations and, if caught during the storm while driving, to pull over safely and remain inside the vehicle.
They have further been advised to stay away from electric poles and power lines and remain alert to flying debris, officials said.
