The age of candidacy was established some 70 years ago. Since then, there has been a growing belief in Japan and around the world that the reflection of diverse perspectives contributes to a robust democracy. In line with this trend, Japan has lowered the voting age and the age of majority to 18 years.

The right to stand for election is a fundamental human right protected by the principle of popular sovereignty, which is a basic tenet of the Constitution, and should not be unfairly taken away without a reasonable justification. Moreover, having a variety of candidates to choose from benefits voters by expanding the choices they can make.

Through this litigation, we seek to ask the important question: Is the age restriction in the Public Offices Election Act reasonably justified?