2024 Debate Contest Speeches
1st Debate – Japanese schools should go paperless.
Affirmative
Yabuki Saya
Ohigashi Masaki
Hu Yoka
Tsuji Anju

Good afternoon, judges, audience, and the opposition. We, the Affirmative team, argue thatschools should go paperless. According to the report by Tsuchiura 1st High School, over 2 million
sheets of paper are used at their high school every year. Going paperless will transform theapplication of digital tools, offering numerous benefits for schools and students. We will illustrate thisthrough three key points: SDGs, better organizing, and student engagement.
Our first point is that schools should put more effort into achieving the SDGs. By minimizing
the use of paper and ink, schools can actively support SDGs such as 12, 13, and 15 in many ways.
Going paperless aids in decreasing deforestation, preserving habitats, and reducing school waste.
Furthermore, it helps prevent global warming by reducing harmful substances produced during theprocess of manufacturing, transporting, and discarding paper. Eliminating the use of paper at school
will greatly contribute to our being environmentally friendly.
Second, it is easier for both teachers and students to organize and manage. Preserving huge
piles of paper requires a lot of space and can attract pests such as cockroaches, mice, and othersickness carrying creatures. With digital tools, it saves space, makes it easier to find materials whenneeded, and makes it less likely to lose them. By managing documents online, it makes it easier for
everyone to stay focused and be able to work more efficiently.
Lastly, classes will be more attractive. According to the study conducted by Sidney K. D'Mello,a professor of the Institute of Cognitive Science at the University of Colorado Boulder, digital learningtechnology improves students' learning engagement. This engagement is fundamental for improved
academic performance, self-efficacy, and sustained interest in learning. Interactive tools likesimulations and videos foster critical thinking, creativity, and a positive classroom environment.
Digital technology contributes to creating a more engaging and efficient learning environment overall.
For these reasons, schools should go paperless to contribute to our environment, organize more
efficiently, and make a better learning environment for students. Thank you.

NegativeHashimoto Kokoha
Shinozuka Seigo
Konishi Anna
Ikushima Kako

Judges, audience, and members of the opposition, good afternoon!
I would like to ask everyone. Are you a paperless person? Certainly, many classes use iPads in our school,
but is it really good for our education? Using three points, academic, physical, and financial, we will
prove how going paperless is not the answer but is actually more harmful.
Our first point is that some families cannot afford an iPad. In Kyoto in 2021, many parents
responded to the report and expressed their opinions about having to purchase expensive tablets
themselves. Because high school is not compulsory education, there is no subsidy from the government.
Students in Hyogo have also begun purchasing iPads at their own expense starting in 2022. Many
families cannot afford an iPad, so we think it is better not to use one as this is unfair to those without
access to it.
The second reason is that using an iPad can affect children's health. "Blue light," which you
have probably heard of, is a high-energy light that can affect our body if we are exposed to it for a longtime. For example, the adverse effects include eye fatigue, retinal damage, and decreased vision. TheAmerican Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children between the ages of 5 to 18 spend no morethan two hours a day on screens. However, according to a Japanese survey, as of 2018, the average timespent on the Internet by elementary, junior high, and high school students was 169 minutes. We think
it is better not to use it at school in order to improve children's health problems even a little.
The final reason is that it is easier to memorize things on paper than on an iPad. This is theresult of a survey conducted by second-year high school students. 92% of students answered `by using
papers to study.` According to THE WALL STREET JOURNAL (WSJ), "Students who took classes byusing PCs forgot the content of the class 24 hours later. However, students who took notes in class could
memorize it better and still remember the information even a week later. We think taking notes in dailyclasses is effective for studying more efficiently and improving test scores.
For these reasons, we strongly believe that all Japanese schools should not go paperless.

2nd Debate – Japanese high schools should separate their curriculums into Humanities and Science.

Affirmative
Maeda Maya
Suji Takane
Miyawaki Mai
Yoshioka Kosuke

Good afternoon. We firmly believe that we should divide science and humanities students into
different classes to help them get the maximum benefit from their high school education. We have threestrong perspectives to support this idea.
Our first reason is that this provides a good opportunity for students to think about what theywant to study in university. According to a questionnaire conducted by the famous cram school, Toshin,half of the students haven't determined what they want to do with their careers. We believe thatchoosing humanities and sciences could give students an idea of what they want to study in furthereducation.
Secondly, students can focus on studying what they like and are good at. Most of the students
have found their strong and weak subjects by the time they get into high school. Unlike Keimei, almost
all the students in other schools must take the Common Test for University Admissions, which is themost important test for students to get into their dream university. According to the National Center ofUniversity Entrance Examination, the test consists of questions that require understanding knowledge
and abilities to think, judge, and express. This means that they want to know whether students havedeep knowledge about the subject for the exam. Therefore, we believe it's logical and efficient to study
what you're good at and try to get a higher score than studying a subject you don't like or are not goodat.
Lastly, the school can cultivate highly specialized talent. In an era where everything can belearned through internet searches, what society demands is individuals equipped with profoundknowledge who can effectively apply it. The specialized knowledge acquired in university must build
upon the foundational knowledge cultivated in high school. This foundational knowledge, which can begained by separating students into classes for humanities and sciences, allows students to concentrateon gaining essential subject-specific knowledge.
In conclusion, we believe that considering traditional exam preparations, exploration of future
academic interests, and the cultivation of highly specialized knowledge, it is advisable to segregateclasses into humanities and sciences.

Negative
Manabe Hikaru
Izawa Sakura
Okamoto Yuki
Yamada Hinako

We are opposed to separating the humanities and sciences courses in High school. Various
evidence supports this claim, all indicating the importance of acquiring both science and humanities
backgrounds.
First, there is a problem with the current system. The clear separation between thehumanities and the sciences limits students' future opportunities. Many students are uncertain about
their future and need the opportunity to explore a wide range of fields, and yet they have to choose
between the humanities and the sciences. Even students who have chosen a major havedisadvantages. For example, social sciences require both social and mathematical knowledge. The
current system deprives them of this learning opportunity and forces them to make a hasty decision.
This undermines the diversity of student learning.
Lack of basic literacy due to unbalanced education is also a big problem. Even literature uses
statistics to analyze sentences, and engineering uses ethics to program automatic operating systems.
At university, students are often required to have skills in both the humanities and the sciences inevery department. Moreover, math and computer skills are no longer exclusive to the sciences. It has
become a literacy needed in almost every field. Students should be able to study both the humanities
and the sciences to cover the basic skills needed in universities and society.
In addition, companies require a wide range of skills. According to a survey by Keidanren,
more than 80% of companies say that they place importance on knowledge and education thattranscends the boundaries of humanities and sciences when hiring. Many companies also value
employees with an understanding of mathematical sciences and AI. However, there is a need for more
people with these skills, and a curriculum that cultivates a broad range of humanities and sciences isneeded.
In conclusion, opposing the separation of humanities and sciences is crucial due to significant
issues within the current system. To provide students with a wide range of choices and prepare themfor the future, we must improve the current system.

Final - Japan should change its school year to start in September.
AB Affirmative
CD Negative

Affirmative

Good afternoon. We support the introduction of a September School year start, known as
enrollment system. We have three strong reasons to support this: globalization, the season of the exam,and extra time for preparation.
First, it leads to the globalization of Japan. According to a survey by the University of Tokyo,
there are 116 countries that have adopted the September entrance system, and this will facilitate study
abroad and acceptance from abroad. In fact, the adoption of September enrollment was discussed in2020, the year of the new coronavirus epidemic. The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science andTechnology is still discussing the internationalization of education. We believe that the September
admission system should be adopted as the first step to promote internationalization in the education
field.
The second reason is that entrance examinations can be held in the spring. Currently, many
schools in Japan hold entrance examinations in Winter. However, this is the time of year when coldsand influenza are prevalent. Due to the pressure and tension of entrance examinations, students'
immune systems are weakened, and they are more susceptible to viral infections. In addition, heavy
snow and ice could cause a traffic infrastructure shutdown, which leads students to miss their exams.
By having the exam in spring, students and parents preparing for the exam will have less worry about
natural disasters. Also, spring in Japan strongly symbolizes a fresh start, which would encourage thestudents with nervous feelings. For this reason, it is better to do it in the spring when it is warmer andmore comfortable.
The last reason is that it gives people a longer period of time to prepare for the new grade. Froma teacher's perspective, this will give them more time to prepare for the new school year and their classes.
From the students' point of view, the school year will change, preventing students from having a learning
gap due to extended vacations. According to the results of Nikkei, about 60% of respondents were infavor of September enrollment, with younger people more likely to be in favor. Currently, students haveassignments during the summer vacation, but by switching to September enrollment, they will no longer
have assignments, allowing them to study for the new semester and try new things.
For these reasons, we are in favor of adopting the September enrollment system.

Negative

Good afternoon. We firmly believe that we should continue starting the school year in April. We
have three strong reasons to support this plan.

Firstly, Starting the academic year in September will affect not only educational institutions
but also the entire Japanese society, including subsequent job applications, recruitment by relatedcompanies, and administrative and legal work by all government ministries and agencies. Additionally,according to government estimates, 15 million students would be affected, 33 laws would need to berevised, and personnel shortages and hiring would severely impact companies. Thus, the April start tothe school year is entrenched in Japanese educational institutions and society as a whole, and the costsof making the change are far out of proportion to the benefits.

Secondly, there are cultural reasons to consider. Spring has been the season of meetings andfarewells since the Meiji period. April is a symbolic season when cherry blossoms bloom, and it is closely
associated with the commencement ceremonies and the beginning of the new school year. The sight ofcherry blossoms on the first day of school symbolizes a fresh start and hope. Altering this tradition would
lead to losing the cherished "cherry blossom enrollment" tradition, potentially sparking resistance frommany individuals. In fact, opposition to a shift from April to September enrollment is evident among
students, with 80% of elementary and junior high school students, 40% of high school students, and 55%of university students expressing disagreement.

Thirdly, some may think it'll be easier for people who want to study abroad or attend foreign
universities if the government decides to start the new school year from September like other countries,
and that students will have no problem applying and entering higher education abroad. Observe thedata on this PowerPoint. You can clearly see that the increasing number of international students eachyear indicates that schools, even those not following the September enrollment system, are actively
establishing study-abroad programs without making any changes.

In conclusion, we strongly believe that considering Japan's financial situation, cultural history,
and the government system, starting the school year in April is the optimal solution."