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In law, a minor is a person under a certain age—usually the age of majority—which legally demarcates childhood from adulthood. The age of majority depends upon jurisdiction and application, but is generally 18. ''Minor'' may also be used in contexts unconnected to the overall age of majority. For example, the drinking age or casino gambling age in the United States is 21, and people below this age are sometimes called ''minors'' even if they are older than 18. The term underage often refers to those under the age of majority, but may also refer to persons under a certain age limit, such as the drinking age, smoking age, age of consent, marriageable age, driving age, voting age, etc. These age limits are often different from the age of majority. The concept of ''minor'' is not sharply defined in most jurisdictions. The ages of criminal responsibility and consent, the age at which school attendance is no longer obligatory, the age at which legally binding contracts can be entered into, and so on, may be different. In many countries, including Australia, India, Philippines, Brazil, Croatia, and Colombia, a minor is defined as a person under the age of 18. In the United States, where the age of majority is set by the individual states, minor usually refers to someone under the age of 18, but can in some states be used in certain areas (such as casino gambling, handgun ownership and the consuming of alcohol) to define someone under the age of 21. In the criminal justice system in some places, "minor" is not entirely consistent, as a minor may be tried and punished for a crime either as a "juvenile" or, usually only for "extremely serious crimes" such as murder, as an "adult".〔("Prisons and Prison Life: Juvenile crime is on the rise. Is it right or fair to treat and charge juveniles as adults?" ). Retrieved June 13, 2015.〕 In Japan, Taiwan, Thailand, and South Korea, a minor is a person under 20 years of age. In New Zealand law, a minor is a person under 18 years of age as well, but most of the rights of adulthood are assumed at lower ages: for example, entering into contracts and having a will are legally possible at age 15.〔Richard Rudman. (Zealand Employment Law Guide (2013 edition) ). Retrieved June 13, 2015.〕 ==Canada== (詳細はCanada. Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, Saskatchewan, and Prince Edward Island have the age of majority set at 18, while in British Columbia, Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick the age of majority is 19.〔(Age of Majority Table )〕 In Saskatchewan legal gaming age is 19 while Saskatchewan's legal drinking age is 19.〔("Drinking age will remain 19 in Saskatchewan" ). ''CBC News''. (March 8, 2013). Retrieved June 13, 2015.〕 For Federal Law (Criminal Code, Voting, etc.), the age of majority is 18.〔(Youth Criminal Justice Act )〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Minor (law)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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