The Third MUA Japanese language Speech Contest

Date: Saturday, December 14, 2019
Venue: Minato City Life long Learning Center

We had the pleasure of having many attendees to this annual flagship event, including the ten speakers.
The program proceeded as follows:

1. Opening remark by Vice President OKUMURA Kazuko of MUA
2. Welcome speech by President NAGANO Hiroshi of MUA (right photo)
3. Explanation on the entire schedule
4. Introduction of the judges

Part I. Speech contest

The following ten speakers introduced themselves, in turn, and spoke on different subjects in Japanese:

1. Zhao Xuelon (Chinese: Chief Quotation Engineer, Rotork Japan K.K.)
   “Kenkou taikoku nihon” (Japan, a health conscious country)
2. Michela Mirabile (Italian: Housewife)
   “Watashino nihondeno seikatsuwa Change, Chance, Challenge no 3C de hyougen dekimasu”
   (My life in Japan is characterized by 3C’s Change, Chance and Challenge)
3. Elyse Sieun Oh (Korean American: 2nd grader, Nishimachi International School)
   “Fushigide daisukina nihon” (I love enigmatic Japan)
4. Javlonbek Abdikarimov (Uzbek: Student at The International Institute of Japanese Language)
   “Nihonni kite fushigini omottakoto” (Once settled in Japan, I wondered why often)
5. Amy Kulkarni (Indian: Teacher)
   “Japan, India and Me”
6. Karen Jia-rong Lee (Taiwanese Australian: Student at International School of the Sacred Heart)
   “Kikouhendou ni teian shitaikoto (My suggestion to Climate Change)
7. Abduqosim Siraiyoi (Tajik: Sophomore at Tajik State Institute of Languages, currently studying at Musashino University on an exchange program)
   “Nihonni kite umareta watashino kokoro” (My heart renewed after staying in Japan)
8. Huang Chen (Chinese: System Engineer)
   “Nihonte suteki!” (How I adore Japan!”
9. Fathan Abdillah Iskandarmuda (Indonesian: Tokyo International Business School)
   “Dekiru kotokara Yaru” (Start with what you can do)
10. Brook Abebe Damtew (Ethiopian: Student at Koujiya Junior High School)
    “The capital city of Ethiopia”

Part II. Discussion among the speakers and attendee groups

Director: Professor KOBAYASHI Makoto , Tamagawa University
Facilitators: UNESCO Club members of Tamagawa University and Keio University While the judges were engaged in the evaluation of the speeches in a separate room, the attendees were organized into several groups and started free discussions with assigned speakers. The discussion subjects ranged from “Hardships and other episodes expe rienced in Japan” and “Opinions and views about Japan” to “Personal Future Plans.”

Part III. Announcement of the winners and the award ceremony

Professor SHBUYA of Meiji Gakuin University, Chairperson of the Nomination
Committee(right photo), announced the winners as follows:

• Grand Prix Award: Karen Jia rong Lee
• MUA President Award: Abduqusim Sumiyoi
• Nomination Committee Chairperson Award: Fathan Abdillah Iskandarmuda
• Minato City Mayor Award: Zhao Xuelon

At the award ceremony, a set of merit certificate, trophy cup and commemorative item (a pair of Wajima lacquered chopsticks) were presented to each of the four winners. The other speakers received likewise merit awards, plaques and commemorative items.

Comment from MUA staff (TAGAWA Junko):
Speakers from different countries participated in the third cont est. Some wore traditional local costumes and entertained us with the exotic visual appearance. The room was filled with international atmosphere, with foreign languages spoken here and there. I was often enlightened with the speakers’ findings about Japan, of which we are generally unaware of. First and foremost, I was impressed with the high level of their fluency in Japanese. Before I noticed, the speeches by the ten speakers were through. I was delighted to find that they all like Japan very much. That’s why they stay in Japan, studying, working or leading an everyday life. Is it not a great pleasure and honor for us Japanese to be perceived so favorably?

(Written by TAGAWA Junko, the Japanese Speech Contest Committee, and translated by TANAHASHI Seiichi, the PR & Internet)