The 3rd PDA Junior High School Parliamentary Debate National Competition Report
Parliamentary Debate Personnel Development Association (PDA)
Date：March 21st,2020 (Saturday)
Venue：Remote (Held using Zoom, a video conferencing system)
Hosted by：Parliamentary Debate Personnel Development Association (PDA)
Cosponsored by：Osaka Prefecture University
Supported by ： The Asahi Shimbun Company, Asahi Student Newspaper and EnglishSpeaking Union of Japan (ESUJ)
Sponsored by：The Nippon Foundation, KDDI Foundation
Cooperation：Yamaha Cooperation
Purpose of the Event：At the Parliamentary Debate Personnel Development Association (PDA), we promoteparliamentary debate as a means to nurture multiple skills including conveying ideas inEnglish, logical thinking, acquiring wide knowledge, presentation skills and communication
skills. In this event, participants will put their usual practice to the test by debating with fellow
junior high school students from all over Japan.
We also hope to create an opportunity for students to improve and learn from the event.
Additionally, the format of the debate is created so that it can be introduced in class.
(See also:文部科学省助成事業 http://englishdebate.org/debate/ )Participating schools ：（ Aomori Prefecture ） Hachinohe St. Ursula Gakuin Junior HighSchool※（Tochigi Prefecture）Utsunomiya Higashi Junior High School（Ibaraki Prefecture）Toyo University Ushiku Junior High School（Chiba Prefecture）Shorin Global Junior High School ※（Tokyo Prefecture）Junior High School at Komaba, University ofTsukuba ※（Tokyo Prefecture）Koishikawa Secondary School（Tokyo Prefecture）Ryogoku Secondary School ※(Tokyo Prefecture) Kudan Secondary School（Tokyo Prefecture）Shibuya Junior High School ※（Kanagawa Prefecture）Eiko Gakuen Junior High School※（Kanagawa Prefecture）Senzoku Gakuen Junior High School（Kanagawa Prefecture）Seiko Gakuin High School ※（Aichi Prefecture）Tokai Junior High School ※（Hyogo Prefecture）Kobe University Secondary School ※（Fukuoka Prefecture）Fukuoka Futaba Junior High School ※（Kumamoto Prefecture）Yatsushiro Junior High School ※16 schools signed up, 11 schools participated(※)
Time Schedule：
12:00 Opening Ceremony
12:20 Preliminary Round 1
13:30 Preliminary Round 2
14:40 Reveal of Grand Finalist
15:00 Grand Final
15:20 Keynote Speech
15:40 Awarding Ceremony
16:00 Closing
Opening Speech：
Due to the recent outbreak of COVID-19, this event was held online. I would like to thankKDDI Foundation and Yamaha Cooperation for promptly providing us with needed
equipment in this time of crisis.
With severe changes in the world, we understand that students and teachers have been
worried about this event. Some may be worried that they are not prepared enough because of
their lack of practice. However, I believe it is important that your generation put technology
into full use and keep on learning. We hope that students uncomfortable with this form of
debate actively engage from their screens and learn from this experience.
Parliamentary Debate Personnel Development Association (PDA) Innovative Officer
Chihiro Nakagawa（Osaka Prefecture University Graduate School of Engineering・Associate Professor）
Message from the Keynote speech speaker：
Congratulations on this event being held online!
The age where reality and cyberspace merge together, peers from around the world candebate regardless of location, and new values are born is just around the corner. Things thatwere thought impossible with distance will change via network.

Everyone here today is part of a progressive project, namely ‘online parliamentary debate’.
New discoveries, both good and bad, are sure to be found from using this system. I hope you
all will make this experience an exciting one with your peers!
Osaka University

Graduate School of Engineering Science

Assistant Professor
Mr. Daisuke Iwai

Motions:
Preliminary Round 1
Bringing snacks and soft drink to junior high school should be allowed.
Preliminary Round 2
Closing schools to combat the COVID-19 has brought more benefits than harm.
Grand Final
Recreating the dead in VR does more benefits than harm.
Due to the recent outbreak of COVID-19,
thiseventwasheldonline.

With

cooperation of KDDI Foundation andYamaha Cooperation, tablet PCs, Wi-Fi,
and Yamaha speakers were sent to schools
and students staying at home.

The opening ceremony began with introduction of participating and enrolled schools.
Over 60 Zoom (online meeting service) accounts of students, teachers, parents, andspectators gathered in the main chat room (some schools participated using one accountwith multiple students). Rules of the competition were explained and POI (Point ofInformation) practice was held. Students who were nervous from their lack of practice dueto the closing of schools seemed to relax from practicing POI. After that, procedures forjudges and debate preparation using Zoom were explained.

Reviewing rules and practicing POI on screen

Practicing shaking hands remotelyNext, the first preliminary round began. Matchups and motions were presented in the mainroom, and students moved to different chatrooms, where they will debate. In each chatroom,
PDA staff created breakout rooms (smaller sessions created in chatrooms) and divided
students into Government and Opposition groups for preparation. The motion for round 1
was “Bringing snacks and soft drink to junior high school should be allowed.” Points fromthe student’s own experience, including harm to health and concentrating in class weredebated. After the debate, the judges gave feedback, and the students asked questions todeepen their understanding.

Tsukuba (Tokyo) vs Kobe (Hyogo)

Eiko (Kanagawa) vs Yatsushiro (Kumamoto)Some teams were on one account, others

Speeches were delivered to the judges acrossparticipated from their homes.

the screen.

The motion for round 2 was “Closing schools to combat the COVID-19 has brought more
benefits than harm.” The Government argued that it was beneficial for the prevention of
spreading COVID-19, but the Opposition explained the current situation where ceremonies
were cancelled and parents had to take days off for their children staying at home.

Seiko (Kanagawa) vs Ryogoku (Tokyo)※Filmed from headquarters (OPU)Seiko (Kanagawa) vs Ryogoku (Tokyo)※Shot at student’s home

Eiko (Kanagawa) vs Shibuya (Tokyo)①

Eiko (Kanagawa) vs Shibuya (Tokyo)

Kobe（Hyogo） from student’s homes②

Tokai (Aichi) vs Kobe (Hyogo)

Yatsushiro (Kumamoto) vs St. Ursula（Aomori)（Photos）Tablet PCs, Wi-Fi, and speakers presented from KDDI foundation and Yamahacooperation put to use. Some schools also used projector screens. The opponent’s speeches
were clearly heard, and students were able to debate and communicate in the same way as
they usually would, face to face.
After preliminary round 2, everyone gathered again in the main room for the breakthroughanouncement after a short break.

Waiting for the reveal of breakthrough teams
The motion for the grand final was “Recreating the dead in VR does more benefits thanharm.” As many people watched, grand finalists proudly delivered speeches made from deepanalysis and strong rebuttals. The grand final became a very heated debate.

Grand finalists proudly delivered speeches as many people watched

Shaking hands after the debate, online
Before the results were announced, Mr. Daisuke Iwai gave a keynote speech about themotion of the grand final, introducing state-of-the-art technology such as VR and projection

mapping. Many students asked questions, and this event done online became a preciousexperience to widen their knowledge.

Keynote speech given by Mr. Iwai about state-of-the-art technology (VR, projection mapping)

After the keynote speech, the awarding and closing ceremony was held. In addition to all
the equipment mentioned above, VR goggles were distributed to each school, giving a reallife experience of the awarding ceremony. Before closing, one student reflected that even
without adequate practice, they were able to give their best performance. On this, PDA’sInnovative officer Chihiro Nakagawa added that even without practice, taking part in thiscompetition was a great chance for challenge and growth, and with the right tools, even morepotential could be achieved. With this advice, the 3rd PDA Junior High School Parliamentary
Debate National Competition came to a close.

Shots from the awarding and closing ceremony
Results of the 3rd PDA Junior High School Parliamentary Debate National Competition<Team prizes>
Champion：Eiko Gakuen Junior High School
Runner-up：Seiko Gakuin High School

Third place：Junior High at Komaba, University of Tsukuba
Fourth place：Shibuya Junior High School
Fifth place：Ryogoku Secondary School＜Personal prizes＞
Best debater prize：12 students
Best POI prize：9 students＜Preliminary round results＞
1stSeiko Gakuin High School

2nd Eiko Gakuen Junior High School
3rd Junior High at Komaba, University of Tsukuba
4thShibuya Junior High School

5thRyogoku Secondary School

6th Kobe University Secondary School
7thFukuoka Futaba Junior High School

8thShorin Global Junior High School

9th Yatsushiro Junior High School
10th Tokai Junior High School
11th Hachinohe St. Ursula Gakuin Junior High School
12th Swing

Photo of participants and HQ staff

Opinions given in survey
１．Students
・It is an honor to be selected best debater from all the great debaters today. Also, I want toimprove my English so I can convey my opinions better. (Yatsushiro・3rd grade）
・I got to learn many things as well as communicate with other schools. Today was veryfruitful. Thank you. （Kobe・3rd Grade）
・The judges gave me detailed advice, which I hope to use in the future! Thank you forhaving this event in the midst of COVID-19 crisis. （Kobe・3rd grade）
・It was great to get to know other schools. （Tokai・3rd grade）
・It was frustrating to lose. I hope to give a better speech in the next competition in highschool. （Seiko・3rd grade）
・All the practice paid off, and our team’s bond became deeper! It was a great experience toknow the level of other students! I will improve my English more! （Futaba・2ndgrade）
・By debating with other schools, there was a lot to learn from. Judges gave us detailed
feedback, which was very helpful. Also, we got to interact with other schools, which wasgreat. （Kobe・2nd grade）
・Personally, I am not satisfied with the results. However, I thank this event for giving me avaluable experience. （Shibuya・3rd grade）
・It was fruitful to debate smoothly with other students and receive feedback from judges.
（Shibuya・3rd grade）
・I got to interact with others, the motion was great, and overall today was a great
experience for my debating skills. （Tsukuba・3rd grade）
・I realized this competitive style of debating was meaningful and a good opportunity.
（Eiko・3rd grade）
・I wasn’t confident in both English and debate, but it was great to know I could
communicate. Also, it was very special to participate alone. Receiving the POI prize forthe first time in my life boosted my confidence.（St. Ursula・3rd grade）

２． Teachers, spectators
・We are very happy to participate in such a high-level competition as this. Students workedhard before and during the event, and this became a great opportunity for them and me toreach higher standards. Also, the judges were generous with their advice, which was very
helpful. Thank you very much.
・I was deeply moved that even with this much people, the event was held smoothly!
・Due to COVID-19, it must have been very difficult to host this event online. However, yourstance to keep learning deeply struck me. Thank you.
・Yamaha speakers enabled the students to stand while speaking, and the sound quality wasgreat.
・Even with the effects of COVID-19, students got a special experience from this valuable
opportunity.
・Even in rural areas, we found a new possibility for us to interact with other schools. If
members from the same team could come together in one place, there wasn’t much problem
even in online debates. However, it would be a better stimulus if students could see eachother face to face.
３． Keynote speech
・It was very interesting and exciting. What surprised me was that technology could be used
to improve daily lives. I would like to learn more about various forms of technology.
・It was good to know the purpose of VR tech research.
・Very interesting. Technology was advanced more than I thought it was, and I learned manythings.
・I took interest in helping lives become better using new technology.
・I had a personal interest in the field, so it was interesting. Also, the content was the same as
the motion, which made me realize debate valued knowledge and content as well as
communication. I would like to be a debater who could talk about the future.
・I got to see fun videos and state-of-the-art tech that I usually would dismiss.
・It was not my field of interest, but I got to hear from an unfamiliar field, and that was good.

＜Personal prizes＞
Best debater
1st ――（Eiko）
1st ――（Seiko）

1st ――（Shorin）
4th ――（Tsukuba）
4th ――（Tsukuba）
4th ――（Ryogoku）
4th ――（Ryogoku）
4th ――（Shibuya）
4th ――（Seiko）
4th ――（Kobe）
4th ――（Futaba）
4th ――（Yatsushiro）
Best POI
1st ――（Tsukuba）
2nd ――（St. Ursula）
2nd ――（Ryogoku）
2nd ――（Eiko）
2nd ――（Seiko）
2nd ――（Tokai）
2nd ――（Kobe）
2nd ――（Futaba）2nd ――（Yatsushiro）