Young people in Japan are considerably underrepresented in the country’s political institutions, leaving decision-making mostly in the hands of older politicians. This age bias in politics may have profound consequences for the structuring of welfare policies in Japan, which faces a declining birth rate and rapidly aging population. In this talk, Dr. McClean will explore why young politicians are so rare, present evidence that many voters would like to see this age bias corrected, and demonstrate how the shortage of young politicians significantly affects both democracy and the social policies promoted and implemented by the government.