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| Newsletter
No.100 |
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September & October 2007
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ESUJ Newsletter No. 100!
This month's ESUJ Newsletter is the 100th edition since we first started publishing a newsletter in April, 1999. Newsletter No.1 featured articles such as "English Club meets for the First Time!" or "Underground Passageway Brings Akasaka Mitsuke Station Exit to ESUJ Office." It is amazing to think back to then and realize that from October, ESUJ entered its tenth year since its founding. Various ESUJ events in October commemorated the start of the tenth year of our first decade.
10th Anniversary ESUJ University Debate Competition
ESUJ's biggest event, its annual debate competition, was held for the 10th time on October 7 (Sun) and 8 (Mon) at the National Olympics Memorial Youth Center in Yoyogi, with 32 teams from 25 universities competing passionately again this year.
After the four preliminary rounds of the first day, eight teams advanced to the final rounds on the following day, with the top place, in a splendid achievement, going to first-time participant Tokai University. Rounding out the top eight were Tokyo Institute of Technology, ICU 1 and ICU2, Keio University 1, Kobe University 1,Yokohama National University 1, and Osaka Prefecture University. Following tournament rules from this point, two teams from the same University advanced to the championship final for the first time ever, ICU 1 and ICU2.
This year, also for the first time, the final was held in the 700-seat Large Hall of the Olympic Center, taking place before a vast audience with an international flavor provided by the 45 delegates from 19 worldwide ESUs. The motion was: This House would ban civilians from entering foreign conflict zones. With the state's responsibility to protect its citizens opposed by individual citizens desirous of the freedom to help citizens in the foreign conflict zone, the two teams conducted a debate worthy of the 10th anniversary competition. Judges awarded the winner's crown by 11 to 8 to the Opposition ICU 1 team (Manabu Igusa and Dai Oba). For additional information, please visit the ESUJ web site.
In addition to the anniversary competition, special events were also held. The first was a panel discussion in English by four past university champion debaters who are now working persons, including a discussion of past impressions of the debating experience, its current influence on their lives, and messages for the present generation of student debaters, which was very well-received by the visitors from abroad. Another special event was an All-Asian Style Model Debate (three-person teams). This year's four-person squad of UK students, who had been active on many fronts during their visit, combined with ace Japanese debaters for a high-level demonstration.
At the closing ceremony, ESUJ's gratitude to our sponsoring corporations and various individuals for their continuing support of the event was expressed with the presentation of certificates of appreciation to them. Representatives from TV Tokyo, Toyota Motors, Nihon Keizai Shimbun, Japan Airlines and eigoTown came to the podium to receive their certificates. Next honored with certificates of appreciation where judges who had participated in eight or more competitions, the 'British Squad' who have come every year from the UK to offer guidance to the Japanese students, and MC Mr. Anthony Millington, who has presided with humor over every competition. This very successful "anniversary" event could not have been realized without the support of the many sponsors and volunteers who have sustained the event over its ten-year history.
Finally, a grand reception for more than 250 people was held to welcome the members of various ESU delegations around the world who were visiting Japan, along with the students participating in the competition, ESUJ members, and volunteers.
Later the same evening (October 8), the championship debate was reported on TV Tokyo's World Business Satellite News.
Results of the ESUJ Debating Competition 2007
| 1st Prize: |
International Christian University 1
(IGUSA Manabu, OBA Dai) |
| 2nd Prize: |
International Christian University 2
(ISHIKAWA Tomohisa, HEMMI Satomi) |
| 3rd Prize: |
Osaka Prefecture University
(KOBATA Satoshi, HAMASAKI Kentaro)
Tokyo Institute of Technology
(YOSHIKAWA Masayoshi, HIRANO Hiroyuki) |
| Baroness Brigstocke Best Speaker Prize: HEMMI Satomi (ICU 2) |
MOTION
| Final: |
This House would ban civilians from entering foreign conflict zones. |
| S.F: |
This House believes that dictatorship is better than weak democracy. |
| Q.F: |
This House would ban hostile takeovers of all corporations. |
| R 1: |
This House would impose greenhouse gas emission limits on developing countries. |
| R 2: |
This House believes that a three-generation family is better than a nuclear family. |
| R 3: |
This House believes that students in public schools should be placed in classes according to their academic level and achievement. |
| R 4: |
This House would ban the export of arms to the Middle East. |
British Team Active on Many Fronts
Once again this year a British Team of debaters led by Mr. James Probert came to Japan. The team included Ms. Anna Lintner of Cambridge University and Mr. Lewis Iwu, Mr. George Molyneaux, and Mr. Krishna Omkar, all from Oxford University. The team traveled to Kyushu and to Osaka, and then to Tokyo, visiting ICU High School and the JPDU to give various types of seminars. They also served as Judges and gave a model debate at the debate competition, as well as enjoying Japanese food and other cultural experiences and exchanges with Japanese students.
ESU International Council Meeting:
45 Delegates Visit Japan
The Annual Council Meeting at which representatives of ESUs from member countries gather to discuss various items on the agenda took place this year in Tokyo. Forty-five delegates from the following 19 countries attended: Argentina, Austria, Brazil, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, England, Estonia, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Iceland, Korea, Lebanon, New Zealand, Romania, Scotland, United States. The Council Meeting, followed by individual country reports and a workshop were held over a two-day period at the Keio Plaza Hotel.
In addition to the conference, the party also observed the Debate Competition and ESUJ Welcome Reception, attended a reception given by the British Ambassador and Lady Fry, toured Tokyo and had the option of attending a performance of kabuki and visiting Kyoto, completing an action-packed program. Along with Japan's beautiful scenery and delicious food, they also appreciated the hospitality and enjoyed heartwarming exchanges with ESUJ members and officers and appeared to have become complete fans of Japan. It was a huge event for ESUJ members as well, one that will long be remembered.
Special Symposium: English Education in Non-English Speaking Countries
In commemoration of the 10th anniversary of the founding of ESUJ, a special public symposium sponsored by the Nihon Keizai Shimbun was held the afternoon of October 10 (Wed) at the Keio plaza Hotel, with a full house in the 180-seat venue. The panel, headed by the Moderator, Mr. Yasushi Akashi, ESUJ Vice Chairman, consisted of Mr. Shijuro Ogata (Former Deputy Governor of the Japan Development Bank), Lady Toshiko Marks (Professor, Shumei University), Mr. Liu Hong Wei (Merrill Lynch Japan Securities), Ms. Marianne Gramm (Minister, Swiss Embassy) and Mr. Daniel Simmons (Researcher at Gunma Prefectural Women's University).
The first part consisted of the panelists describing from their own individual experience the current state of English education and various problems in non-English speaking countries. After that, they fielded questions from the floor. Although there is a deep-seated, long-standing interest in learning English in Japan, the need to improved real communication skills and powers of expression was repeatedly mentioned, along with suggestions for how to do so. With the skilful moderation of Mr. Akashi, and occasional smiles from the audience as the panelists considered their heartfelt opinions, an atmosphere of congeniality prevailed and the two-and-a-half hours passed in no time. Although the symposium was conducted mainly in English, superb simultaneous interpretation was provided by Mr. Ken Yokota and his staff.
The symposium received substantial coverage in the October 20 edition of the Nihon Keizai Shimbun.
Japan in Their Own Words published!
Columns from "Japan in Their Own Words," which have appeared in both English and Japanese on the ESUJ web site since September 2000, have been gathered together in one volume. JITOW arose out of a concern that Japan's image abroad was a somewhat negative one of an unfathomable and monolithic society. Its aim has been to express to the world the variety of different opinions that exist among the Japanese. Thanks to the steady effort and cooperation of, first, the various individuals who have voluntarily contributed their opinions, then those charged with translating the articles into English who have maintained the nuances of the Japanese language as well as a journalistic perspective, and, finally, the committee members who worked passionately in repeated monthly discussions over a boxed lunch, the number of contributions to JITOW exceeded the 200 mark in 2007. In honor of this, we have carefully selected 50 of these columns to appear in one printed volume, to be made available at cost, on a first come first served basis, to those who wish to purchase a copy. Contact the ESUJ office for further details.
Editor's Note
Every time the end of the month draws near, I start to wonder "What shall I do?" As if he can read my mind, Mr. Matsudaira pipes up, "That article about the lecture...' write something in your style' we'd said..." And, plop, a hand-written foolscap draft lands on my desk as he passes by. Just before it's time for me to struggle madly to fit it all into the layout and I've emailed her the Japanese text with "Thank you for your kind cooperation," a complete English translation comes back from Mrs. Susan Millington the following day. With the support of our excellent editorial "staff", we have arrived at our 100th Newsletter this month. Deep appreciation also extends to our member-volunteers, starting with Mrs. Shigeko Nagaoka, for your help in getting out the Newsletter, and finally, more than anything, to our members who are faithful readers of the Newsletter.
Ayako Hanabusa
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For
further informaiton contact!
E-MAIL:esuj@esuj.gr.jp
Fujikage-Building
9th Floor, Motoakasaka 1-1-5
MInato-ku, Tokyo 107-0051
TEL: 03-3423-0970 FAX: 03-3423-0971
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