This year's winner in the Business category was Beth Nicholls, a postgraduate student at the University of Bath. Beth worked as an interpreter in Japan during the 2002 FIFA World Cup. Her experience of working with Japanese travel companies and local governments was the inspiration behind her speech entitled “A Sporting Chance – Lessons from the 2002 FIFA World Cup” in which she talked about the importance of trust and compromise in business relationships. She also stated that it is necessary to recognise the fact that one should do business with Japan, not simply in Japan. She was particularly moved by the sight of the paper cranes folded by Japanese children which filled the soccer stadium at the end of the World Cup competition.

In an interview after the award ceremony, Beth said that she was very surprised to have won. She first studied Japanese at university and was further inspired and kindly taught by her Japanese roommate when she was an exchange student. They even taught her how to speak the local dialect! Beth has continued to study Japanese for work purposes but also simply because she adores Japanese people. She believes that they are similar to the British in certain ways, and that a Japanese friend is a friend for life. In the future Beth hopes to work as an interpreter in the world of sports and the arts. She feels that by interpreting for an individual she is able to immediately see that her work has made a difference.

The winner in the Student category was Andrew Daniels, a student of Pembroke College, Oxford University. Andrew's speech was titled “Wasshoi! – The Spirit of Matsuri in Provincial Japan” . He talked about the fact that despite criticism that festivals in Japan have become tourism-orientated and their spirit is said to be lost, Japanese people do still understand the importance of the traditions of matsuri . They have simply adapted the way in which it fits into their everyday lives. Andrew believes that the tradition of matsuri is still very much alive today.

When asked why he decided to take part in the competition, Andrew replied that he was attracted by the prize of a return ticket to Japan. He is soon to graduate and intends to use his prize to travel around Shikoku, Kyushu and Okinawa. He was very happy to have won the competition and feels glad that by slowly and calmly making his speech, he was able to convey his message to the audience. He was also very impressed by the high standard of the other participants. Andrew decided he wanted the challenge of studying a new language at university which is why he chose Japanese. He was also inspired after reading the translation of Junichiro Tanizaki's Sasame yuki . Andrew said he has not yet decided what he would like to do in the future, but hopes to find a job where he will be able to use his Japanese every day.

In his speech at the awards ceremony, Ambassador Orita expressed his appreciation of the importance of the Sir Peter Parker Awards. He believes that this speech contest is a source of inspiration and encouragement to many young people who are keen to upgrade their spoken Japanese skills as the number of students studying Japanese is on the increase. To promote mutual understanding between the peoples of different cultural backgrounds is absolutely essential and the Ambassador feels that language is the most important gateway to achieving cross-cultural understanding, “To learn another language will open a new door for you to learn something different and more exciting”.

Ambassador Orita's speech at the awards ceremony