Three 18-year-old high school students at Shinagawa Joshi Gakuin in Tokyo said they were excited to cast their ballots in Sunday¡¯s Upper House election, being among the nation¡¯s first teenagers to join the electorate.

¡°Just the thought of having a chance to possibly change the future (of this country), and the prospects of seeing more policies addressed to younger generations makes me excited,¡± said Rena Yamaguchi, a third-year student at the school, while her two fellow students nodded.

¡°It¡¯s a historic event, and I¡¯m proud to be among the first 18-year-olds to vote,¡± agreed Mizuki Inoue.