The annual Japanese Speech Contest for University Students was held earlier this year. Organised by the Japan Foundation with the aim of encouraging more young people to study Japanese and to learn about the country’s culture, this year marked its tenth anniversary. What makes this contest special is that students of all levels who are studying Japanese can take part, as there are three categories covering beginners to advanced speakers.

All of the presentations this year were impressive in their own unique way. Students communicated their thoughts on a host of fascinating themes. The speeches, on topics as varied as gay pride, Chinese funeral customs and gender equality in Japan, were delivered on the Finals Day of the Speech Contest on 28 February at Regent’s University London.

Take Nikita Kamraj, a 3rd year student of Physics at Imperial College London and a member of “The Science Geeks” - one of the teams selected to perform at the contest in the Group Presentation Category for beginner-level students of Japanese - said that "the whole process of the contest was enjoyable". Following the contest, she referred to the strong friendships she had formed with the all the members in her group, described the Finals Day as an exhilarating experience and expressed her appreciation of the support she had received from both her past and present Japanese teachers. She was thoroughly impressed by the fluency of the Speech Category contestants, and hoped that one day she could reach such a level of proficiency.

More information, including details of sponsors and the full list of prize winners, can be found on the Japan Foundation London website.

JICC