2 purse snatchers charged with assault

In Japan, the legal adult age is 20 (not 18, as it is in the west), so by Japanese law they are indeed still "youths." However, they are indeed old enough to know right and wrong. I'm sure though that they will have some excuse about how they were out of work, needed money for living, etc...

"I’m really tired of Japan’s idea of withholding names on what it incorrectly identifies as “youths" And I'm tire of the same arguments every time a 18 or 19 year old commits a crime. If we change the law and 18 years old are considered an adult, then what ? Somehow it will reduce the crime rates ? You think 17 year and 364 day old guys are innocent kids but somehow 1 day later they are responsible for their actions because they are 18 ? 18 year olds are considered an adult in Americ and that doesn't seem to lower their crime rates does it ?

Hide, it isn't about 1 day making a difference on crime levels. It is about protecting the guilty. Youths who know that they will be protected are more likely to commit crimes than those who know that their names will be made public. So, indirectly, it does make a difference.

@LSpiro

"I’m really tired of Japan’s idea of withholding names on what it incorrectly identifies as “youths"

And I'm tire of the same arguments every time a 18 or 19 year old commits a crime. If we change the law and 18 years old are considered an adult, then what ? Somehow it will reduce the crime rates ?

You think 17 year and 364 day old guys are innocent kids but somehow 1 day later they are responsible for their actions because they are 18 ?

18 year olds are considered an adult in Americ and that doesn't seem to lower their crime rates does it ?

Have to agree with LSpiro. And in spite of the reference to American troops in Vietnam, StormR's comment about trying and sentencing them as adults is spot-on. Criminal records of anyone over 18 should be publicly accessible. I had a serious drug dealer as a shared home roommate, many years ago, and if I'd known the trouble he'd end up putting the household through, I'd have thrown him out on his ear.

Committing crimes at 19 you should be tried as an adult and sentenced as one.

At least they didn’t just blow the money on useless things, except for the food and gasoline of course. But I’m really tired of Japan’s idea of withholding names on what it incorrectly identifies as “youths”. The guy last year who drove into kids, killing not only some of the kids but also a pregnant woman escorting them, has no right to any future of his own, and his full name and photo name should be posted in headlines.

These guys may not be that bad, but the future public has a right to know before renting apartments or share houses to them, or hiring them for certain types of jobs.

Thanks to this flawed system, the guy who moved into the room next to mine in the share house where I lived when I first came here turned out to be a car thief. You think the share-house owners might have wanted to take that into consideration before letting him live with 5 other people?

Stop protecting identities of criminals of any age, Japan!

19 years old and still considered youths??? Not too sure but I think by 19 most normal people Know what is right and what is wrong! Poor young lady!!

The two youths have admitted the charges, and told police they used all the money to buy food, games, and gasoline, TV Asahi reported.

No AKB48 tickets this time eh.