Dex-chan lover
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Is 17 adult in Japan? Age of consent is 13 IIRC.
Aitsu no Kanojo
- Thread starter MangaDex
- Start date
I’m so glad I dropped this series midway through. I randomly came across it again today in my saved follows, and skimming through the comments to find out what happened was the best move.
I just want to say, being terminally ill and not telling your loved ones or close friends is probably one of the shittiest things you can do to another human being that cares for you. There is never a scenario where it’s better to just hide everything until the day you pass and drop a bombshell on everyone.
That hurts far more than knowing beforehand and spending the last moments together with your loved ones, rather than just disappearing without a trace. Maybe that phone call at the end was the mom telling Riku the truth, but because this author doesn’t know how to tell a story properly, we get this shit ending instead.
I’m not going to bother beating an already dead horse by criticizing this whole manga like everyone else, but I just wanted to say this.
I just want to say, being terminally ill and not telling your loved ones or close friends is probably one of the shittiest things you can do to another human being that cares for you. There is never a scenario where it’s better to just hide everything until the day you pass and drop a bombshell on everyone.
That hurts far more than knowing beforehand and spending the last moments together with your loved ones, rather than just disappearing without a trace. Maybe that phone call at the end was the mom telling Riku the truth, but because this author doesn’t know how to tell a story properly, we get this shit ending instead.
I’m not going to bother beating an already dead horse by criticizing this whole manga like everyone else, but I just wanted to say this.
Since July 2023 the national age of consent is 16 (previously 13) with a close-in-age exception. Prefectural juvenile protection ordinances in most of Japan make the effective age of consent 18 but violations of these are not considered "statutory rape" as such.
Full Gemini AI responses
The legal age of consent in Japan is currently 16.
The confusion surrounding this topic stems from a significant change in Japanese law that occurred recently, combined with how the legal system functioned for over a century prior.
However, the reality during those years was more complex:
The change was largely driven by a push to better protect minors and modernize a legal code that had not been significantly updated since the Meiji era. While the "13" figure is now legally outdated, it persists in public memory because the change is relatively recent in the context of a century-old law.
The confusion surrounding this topic stems from a significant change in Japanese law that occurred recently, combined with how the legal system functioned for over a century prior.
Why people think it is 13
For 116 years—from 1907 until mid-2023—the national age of consent in Japan was indeed set at 13. This was one of the lowest ages of consent among developed nations. This historical fact is the primary reason the "13" figure remains so prevalent in international discussions and online discourse.However, the reality during those years was more complex:
- Regional Ordinances: Most prefectures (local governments) in Japan had their own "Juvenile Protection Ordinances" that effectively raised the age of consent to 18 in many jurisdictions.
- Legal Inconsistency: This created a confusing "patchwork" of laws where something could be a local offense but not a national crime, leading to significant criticism from human rights groups and international bodies.
The 2023 Legal Reform
In June 2023, the Japanese Parliament (the Diet) passed a landmark overhaul of the country's sexual crime laws.- The New Limit: The national age of consent was officially raised from 13 to 16.
- The "Peer" Exception: To avoid criminalizing consensual activity between teenagers of similar ages, the law includes a "close-in-age" exception. If both parties are over 13 and the age difference is less than 3 years, it is generally not prosecuted as statutory rape.
- Broader Definitions: The reform also clarified the definition of rape (renaming it "non-consensual sexual intercourse") and extended the statute of limitations for reporting offenses.
Summary Table
| Era | National Age of Consent | Context |
| 1907 – June 2023 | 13 | Often superseded by stricter local prefectural rules. |
| July 2023 – Present | 16 | Standardized across the country with a 3-year age-gap exception. |
In a practical sense, yes, the "effective" age of consent in most of Japan remains 18, though the legal mechanics have shifted slightly following the 2023 national reforms.
The interaction between the new national law and local prefectural rules creates a two-tiered system:
Previously, if a prefecture didn't have a strong ordinance, the national floor of 13 applied. By raising the national floor to 16, the government ensured a baseline of protection that cannot be weakened by local politics.
So, while the "National Age of Consent" is 16, an adult pursuing someone under 18 in Japan is still very likely to face legal consequences under local protection laws.
The interaction between the new national law and local prefectural rules creates a two-tiered system:
1. National Penal Code (The "Hard" Floor)
The national age of consent is now 16. This is the threshold for serious criminal charges like "non-consensual sexual intercourse" (statutory rape). If a person over 16 has sex with someone under 16, it is a national felony, regardless of local rules.2. Prefectural Juvenile Protection Ordinances
Almost all 47 prefectures in Japan (including Tokyo, Osaka, and others) have their own local ordinances. These laws are designed to protect "minors" (defined as those under 18) from what the law deems "indecent acts" or "sexual exploitation."- The 16–18 Gap: While sex with a 16- or 17-year-old might not trigger a national rape charge, it often still violates these local ordinances.
- Enforcement: These ordinances typically target the adult in the situation. Penalties usually involve fines or shorter jail terms compared to the national Penal Code, but they still result in a criminal record.
- The "Sincerity" Exception: Some local ordinances are slightly more lenient if the relationship is deemed a "sincere" romantic relationship between peers (e.g., an 18-year-old high school senior and a 17-year-old junior), but this is applied inconsistently and is legally risky.
Why the distinction matters
The 2023 reform was less about changing the "effective" age (which was already effectively 18 in most places) and more about closing a loophole.Previously, if a prefecture didn't have a strong ordinance, the national floor of 13 applied. By raising the national floor to 16, the government ensured a baseline of protection that cannot be weakened by local politics.
Summary of the "Effective" Age
| Age Range | Legal Status |
| Under 16 | Strictly Illegal. National felony (Penal Code). |
| 16 to 17 | Effectively Illegal. Usually a violation of Prefectural Juvenile Protection Ordinances in most of Japan. |
| 18 and Over | Legal. 18 is now the age of adulthood in Japan (as of 2022). |
As of April 1, 2022, the age of adulthood in Japan is 18.
This was a major shift, as the age of majority had been set at 20 since 1876. The change was implemented to encourage younger people to participate more actively in society and to align Japan with the standards of most other developed nations.
However, being a "legal adult" at 18 doesn't grant access to everything at once. Japan uses a tiered system for various rights and responsibilities.
This means they are still treated somewhat differently than older adults in the justice system. However, the law was tightened so that "Specified Juveniles" face harsher penalties for serious crimes and can have their names and photos published by the media once indicted—something strictly forbidden for those under 18.
This was a major shift, as the age of majority had been set at 20 since 1876. The change was implemented to encourage younger people to participate more actively in society and to align Japan with the standards of most other developed nations.
However, being a "legal adult" at 18 doesn't grant access to everything at once. Japan uses a tiered system for various rights and responsibilities.
What changes at 18
When a person turns 18, they gain several significant legal rights:- Marriage: Both men and women can marry without parental consent. (Previously, women could marry at 16 and men at 18 with consent, but this was standardized to 18 for everyone).
- Contracts: 18-year-olds can sign legally binding contracts independently. This includes getting a credit card, signing a mobile phone contract, or renting an apartment.
- Passports: They can apply for a 10-year validity passport (previously limited to those 20 and older).
- Professional Licenses: They can obtain certain professional certifications, such as becoming a certified public accountant or a doctor (though the education requirements usually make the latter impossible until later).
- Gender Identity: Individuals can apply to the family court to change their legal gender.
What stays at 20
Despite being considered "adults," those aged 18 and 19 are still restricted from several activities, primarily for health and "public morals" reasons:- Alcohol: The legal drinking age remains 20.
- Tobacco: Smoking or purchasing tobacco products is still prohibited until 20.
- Public Gambling: Betting on horse racing, powerboat racing, and other government-sanctioned gambling is restricted to those 20 and older.
The Juvenile Act
One of the most complex parts of this transition involves the Juvenile Act. While the age of adulthood is 18, people aged 18 and 19 are classified as "Specified Juveniles."This means they are still treated somewhat differently than older adults in the justice system. However, the law was tightened so that "Specified Juveniles" face harsher penalties for serious crimes and can have their names and photos published by the media once indicted—something strictly forbidden for those under 18.
Comparison Summary
| Activity | Age 18 | Age 20 |
| Voting | Yes | Yes |
| Marriage without consent | Yes | Yes |
| Sign contracts (Credit/Rent) | Yes | Yes |
| 10-Year Passport | Yes | Yes |
| Drinking Alcohol | No | Yes |
| Smoking/Vaping | No | Yes |
| Public Gambling | No | Yes |
Dex-chan lover
- Joined
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So after the extra chapter which side are people leaning towards?
Personally the extra ch 73.5 makes it seem more like she had a high likelihood of dying but the way the author made her specifically say she "might" die and not that she will die makes me think she thought she was going to die but lived instead and that's what the phonecall is. Either way it's clearly like the guy in comments earlier mentioned an open ending because the author is too much of a coward to pick one. If the panel ended before the unknown caller it'd basically be confirmed she died and mc moved on but with the call now it's unknown whether mc went back to her after she lived or if it was even her at all. It's just a lazy copout tbh. U can really feel it in the extra chapter how she keeps saying "might" or "possibly" die as that's the only way the author can keep the caller possibly being her to stay canon. It's like if your lie in april ended with someone hitting a piano key and the mc turning around then credits immediately after to make it feel ominous and deep which is just... But my personal view is that she obviously lived and wanted mc if she did live so that's likely who he ended up with. [spoiler/]
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