2024 Online 28th Toyama Cup – Japanese Speech Contest
第 28 回【富山カップ】日本語スピーチコンテスト(オンライン)

Background of Contest:
In 1996, Toyama Prefecture and the State of Oregon started collaboration with the Japan-America
Society of Oregon to partner in presenting a speech contest for university and college students studying
Japanese in Oregon and Southwest Washington. Oregon has enjoyed a sister-state/prefecture
threlationship with Toyama since 1991 and the speech contest was held in celebration of the 5 year of
this relationship, in 1996. This will be the 28th Toyama Cup Japanese Speech Contest.

Purpose: To build a stronger relationship between the peoples of Toyama and Oregon by promoting
Japanese language education in Oregon and Southwest Washington universities and colleges.

Date and Time: Saturday, April 20, 2024, from 4pm to 7pm (Oregon Time)
Location: Online, Zoom

Eligibility: Any non-native speaker of Japanese undergraduate student studying Japanese at a college(community colleges included) or university in the State of Oregon or Southwest Washington. Students
who are currently NOT taking a Japanese course also may participate in the event. In that case, theinstructor of each school is to conduct a simple placement interview to decide on the appropriate leveland sign the application form. Please also describe the case in the form briefly (ex. 1 The applicant iscurrently not taking any Japanese class due to a schedule conflict, but they finished JPN201 last term
and their proficiency is about the second year level.)

If the applicant is in a unique situation, please also describe the case in the form briefly. (ex.2 The
applicant is placed into level 1 due to their writing proficiency is 100 level, however, their speaking
proficiency is much higher because they are an immersion learner. Hence it seems more appropriate
for this applicant to compete in the upper level, etc).

Levels of Competition:

1) Level 1: Any student who is currently in (or placed on) 100 and 200 level Japanese class2) Level 2: Any student who is currently in (or placed on) 300 and 400 level Japanese classPrizes:1) Level 1: Top 3 will receive gifts including Japanese books, a medal and certificate from Toyama
Prefecture. 1st place winner will receive a Nousaku product, a local traditional craft brand.
2) Level 2: Top 3 will receive gifts from Toyama Prefecture. The winner also receives a trip toToyama Prefecture. By accepting the trip, the winner agrees to become a designated “HonoraryFriendly Envoy” as described separately.

Speech Topic and Length
Speeches should be at least 3 minutes but no more than 5 minutes in length.

Contestants are free to select a topic that they are passionate about and speak authentically about it.
Examples might include:

••
•
••
•
•

Personal story
Why I study JapaneseMy future career plan
The Importance of Sister-City and Sister State Relationships (such as the Toyama-Oregon Sister
State affiliation).
Japan-Related Experiences
Environmental issues
International relations

Scoring and Criteria are based on the following:
Language Proficiency
Utterance
Smoothness andspeed/pace (5)(5)
・Very smooth(no unnaturalpauses)
・Recovers almost
every time

Pronunciation
and Intonation(5)(5)
Native-likepronunciation

GrammaticalAbility
(10)
(10)
Almost always
use the correct
Japanese
grammar andvocabulary

Content andCreativity(10)

Presentation
(10)

(10)
・Very originalcontent・Organizedwell(10)・Full of confidence
・Almost no use of thenotes (just checking)・effective eye contact
and gesture

Question and Answer
Listening
comprehension(5)(5)
Alwayscomprehended
well (no slow
down or repeat)

Spontaneous
response andoriginality (5)
(5)
・Very
spontaneous &coherent
・original
content

Questions and Answers
Each contestant will be asked 2 questions in Japanese by a designated judge. An audience member may
also ask an additional 1-2 questions (only judges’ questions will be scored).
NOTE: Students will have at least one meeting with JASO staff prior to the speech contest.

Participants will have a networking time with college students and others from Toyama Prefecture.

Presentation from the past winners of Toyama Cup:Outline of the Toyama Honorary Friendly Envoy Program
PURPOSE1.

Toyama Prefecture has established the “Toyama Honorary Friendly Envoy” programin order to establish and strengthen relations with other countries.

REQUIREMENTS FOR THE NOMINATION OF ENVOYS
2.
(1)

Toyama Prefecture will nominate any non-native individuals to be envoy who meetthe following requirements or those who are approved by the governor.

Individuals who are interested in fostering international relations and understanding,and who have worked to promote exchange with the citizens of Toyama Prefecture,through the following activities, during their stay in Toyama Prefecture.

a) Participation in international activities.

b) Introduced and helped enhance interest in other countries in the citizens of Toyama
Prefecture.

c) Gained a deep understanding of Toyama Prefecture and its citizens.
d) Voluntarily participated in international exchange events, etc.

e) Helped nurture and strengthen relations among foreigners, and relations between

(2)
(3)

(4)

native Japanese and foreigners residing in Toyama Prefecture.

Individuals whom we can expect to inform others about Toyama Prefecture and its

citizens through their activities in both Japan and overseas.

Individuals who will or have obtained a functional command of the Japanese language.

Individuals who have stayed, or intend to stay, in Toyama Prefecture for 1 or more
years. However, permanent residents shall not qualify for this program.

HOW THE ENVOYS ARE CHOSEN
3.

The governor shall select envoys from a number of candidates to be recommended by theInternational Exchange Organization and other relevant organizations.

FORFEIT OF THE TITLE4.

If the envoy cannot fulfill the requirements hereby outlined, or he/she becomesineligible to serve as an envoy, he/she must promptly render the title back to Toyama

Prefecture.

GRANTING OF THE TITLE
5.

The governor of Toyama Prefecture will present to all appointed envoys a plaque and amemorial gift.

DUTIES
6.
(1)

The duties of the envoy are as follow:

Envoys should try to introduce Toyama to other people, and provide advice to Toyama
Prefecture in order to help promote international exchanges between Toyama and(2)
(3)

(4)

(5)

other countries. They will also act as a liaison between Toyama and overseascountries.

Envoys should try to associate with foreigners living in Japan, and make an effort tointroduce to them the various kinds of information that they have collected on Toyama.

Envoys should support the promotion of international exchange activities in Toyama

as much as they can, and should attempt to associate with the people of Toyama ifthey have the opportunity to visit or stay in Toyama again.

Envoys should send regular reports updating Toyama Prefecture on their status andrespond to requests from Toyama Prefecture for their impression of Toyama

Prefecture (messages are also acceptable).

Envoys should also send information about their countries when Toyama Prefecture

makes a request. Toyama Prefecture also requires the envoy’s assistance if we send adelegation to his/her country.

DISPATCH OF PUBLISHED MATERIALS
7. We will periodically send published materials to envoys in order to ensure that they
have up-to-date information about Toyama Prefecture.

Pictures from past winners’ experience

Toyama Prefecture