Japanese Artists Create Posters to Encourage Young People to Vote

Five years ago Japan lowered the minimum voting age from 20 to 18 to encourage young people to get involved and have their say. But turnout rates of those in their 20s and younger has been alarmingly low: in the last lower house election, in 2017, the voting rate among people in their 20s was 34%, less than half that of those in their 60s. Vote Poster 2021 is a small but burgeoning movement in which illustrators, designers and manga artists create eye-catching posters that can be printed out or shared online, ultimately raising awareness and encouraging people to go out and vote.

The turnout of voters in their 20s to 30s in Japan is truly abysmal, and sets the stage for a negative spiral in which parties turn ever greater attention to the demands of the older generations of voters. And while a major turnaround is unlikely, it’s encouraging to see initiatives like the Vote Poster 2021 gain traction.

You can see all the submitted designed on the official website, or search the hashtag #投票ポスター2021 on social media. From eye-catching to minimal and Halloween-inspired, below are some of our favorites. Japan’s upcoming general election is on Sunday, October 31.