日本各大党派运用漫画等手段吸引年轻人支持
Japanese cities are using manga and anime to persuade young people to vote in forthcoming elections.
日本一些城市正在利用漫画和动漫来说服年轻人，让他们在即将到来的大选中投票。The popular formats feature in local electoral commission materials aimed at newly enfranchised 18- and 19-year-olds, which explain why going to the polls is important, The Japan Times website reports.
据《日本时报》网站上的一则报道称，在日本一些地方选举委员会的选举宣传材料中，出现了一些动漫相关的东西，它们非常受欢迎，其目的是为了吸引那些18、19岁刚刚获得选举权的年轻人，向他们解释为什么参与选举很重要。Last year, Japan lowered the voting age from 20 to 18 - the first change in seven decades. An election on 10 July to choose members of the upper house of parliament will be the first national poll since the law changed.
去年，日本政府将选举权的年龄从20岁下调到了18岁--这是近70年来首次选举人年龄资格的下调。7月10日，日本将选举出上议院的议员，而这将是选举法修改后的第一次全国性选举。
Officials in the city of Nara have created a five-minute-long anime video on the importance not only of voting, but of making an informed decision at the ballot box.
奈良市政府制作了一份5分钟长的动漫视频，其目的不仅仅是为了向年轻人们解释选举的重要性，还告诉他们在选举中做出一个明智的决定是很重要的。It shows three girls celebrate turning 18, two of whom don't intend to use their votes. Other characters then warn the girls that it's never been more important to make their voices heard. It ends with what the paper describes as a "perky, off-key song" about nearing adulthood and thinking for yourself.
在该视频中，三名女孩在庆祝她们的18岁生日，其中有两人不打算行使自己的选举权。第三名女孩提醒另外两人说，没有什么事情比表达自己的意愿更重要。在视频的结尾处，正如《日本时报》所形容的那样，播放了一首“活泼、跑调”的歌曲，预示着主人公快要成年了，要为自己而思考。Another city opted for a manga flier in which the local mascot tells 18-year-olds that politicians will have to listen to their opinions if they vote.
另外一个日本城市则选择了发放漫画宣传单的方法。在宣传单上，当地的吉祥物向18岁大小的年轻人们讲述，如果他们参与选举的话，政治家们将不得不听取他们的意见。Political parties are getting in on the act too, issuing manga pamphlets and posters in advance of the election.
此外，一些政治团体也在着手采取类似的措施，他们会在选举前发放漫画小册子和海报。Lowering the voting age to 18 added an estimated 2.4 million voters to the Japanese electorate, but the legal age for several other activities has been kept at 20, including drinking and smoking.
据估计，将选举人年龄限制从20岁降低到18岁这一措施使得日本的选民数量增加了240万人，但是对于吸烟和饮酒等其他几项活动来说，法定限制年龄仍然是20岁。
