The plaintiffs and their legal team in the Lawsuit for Lowering the Age of Candidacy, produced by LEDGE, Japan’s first organization specializing in public interest litigation, have filed an appeal on Thursday, November 6, following the ruling at the Tokyo District Court on October 24, 2025.
On the same day, the legal team issued a statement asserting that the questions raised by the plaintiffs through this lawsuit concern “an issue that goes to the very foundation of the state: the principle of popular sovereignty.”
The six plaintiffs also released a joint statement and individual messages expressing their determination, declaring “we will continue our efforts with the belief that this will be a step toward a society where young people are recognized as equal participants in the exercise of popular sovereignty, and where their fundamental right to political participation is fully guaranteed.”
Since its filing in July 2023, LEDGE’s first lawsuit, the Lawsuit for Lowering the Age of Candidacy, has moved forward thanks to the support and solidarity of countless individuals and organizations. We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who has supported us thus far.
We invite you to stay engaged with this case and continue following LEDGE’s ongoing efforts to promote social change through public interest litigation.
*Statements are in Japanese only.
◼️About the Tokyo District Court Ruling
For details on the first-instance judgment delivered by the Tokyo District Court on October 24, please refer to the following pages:
- Judgment on the Lawsuit for Lowering the Age of Candidacy: “An Unjust Ruling Endorsing Discrimination Against Young People” — Plaintiffs to Appeal
- Summary of the Ruling（CALL4) *Japanese Only
- Full Text of the Ruling（CALL4）*Japanese Only
- Youthful Democracy Project
◼️ Watch the video of the judgment delivery at the Tokyo District Court on the Youthful Democracy Project’s YouTube channel.
◼️Please support the lawsuit
The Lawsuit for Lowering the Age of Candidacy is made possible through the generous contributions of many supporters. To help us continue advancing this important legal effort, please support our crowdfunding campaign.
