Objectives
The Japanese Language Scholarship Foundation will host
its 21st annual All-USA High School Japanese Speech Contest.
The contest will provide opportunities for young learners of Japanese to make
presentations in Japanese and to inspire more students to improve their proficiency in Japanese.
It is also hoped that the contest will encourage students to further
their understanding of Japan, its people, and its culture.
The contestants will take part in the 21st annual Speech Contest,
which will be held on Sunday, May 24, 2026, at the Mutako Hotel in LA, Los Abgeles,California.
Eligibility & Application Requirements
Each applicant must;
- Be one of the top three winners of a sub-national/region/state/multi-school Japanese language speech contest held in the USA
and its territories between April 1, 2025 and April 12, 2026. - Submit a Recommendation Form completed by an official representative of the qualifying speech contest.
- Be a high school student in the spring of 2026.
- Not be a native speaker of Japanese, nor have a Japanese parent (Issei).
- Be a U.S. citizen or a Permanent Resident.
Aurora Foundation welcomes all students studing the Japanese language in the United States to participate in the Aurora Speech Contest.
If an international or world-level competition takes place and the first-place winner is not a U.S. citizen or permanent resident,
the runner-up will be designated as the U.S. representative for the event. - Not have had more than six months of formal schooling in Japan after age of six.
- Not have previously participated in an international Japanese speech contest.
Rules and Judging
- Each speech must be five minutes or less in length.
- The choice of topic is open.
- Judges will base their decisions on;
・The content and presentation of speech and
・A post-speech interview conducted in Japanese with the judges.
Required Application Documents
- A completed Application form, Eligibility Questions and Accommodation and Room Assignment
- A copy of the speech (script) , written in the applicant’s own handwriting or entered directly by the applicant.
- A completed Recommendation Form a representative of the regional speech contest
Travel & Accommodation Support
Aurora Foundation will provide hotel accommodations for two nights, from May 23 to May 26, 2026, for contestants during their stay in Los Angeles, covering the official contest period only.
Aurora Foundation will also support round-trip ground transportation between the airport and the hotel for contestants traveling independently.
If a contestant is accompanied by a parent or guardian, airport transportation will not be supported, and all travel expenses, lodging costs, and related expenses for parents or guardians shall be the sole responsibility of the accompanying individual(s).
All support is non-transferable and non-refundable.
Additional details will be provided to selected contestants.
Awards
- TBD
Deadline
- All applications must be submitted by E-mail on or before Tuesday, April 14, 2026.
- Send all required materials as Email attachments
to speech@jlsf-aurora.org
- Subject Line: 2026 Aurora Speech Contest
Schedule
- April 14, 2026
All applications must be submitted by E-mailed on or before April 22, 2024 - TBD
Announcement of the Contestants - Sunday, May 24, 2026
Speech Contest
All inquiries and requests for applications from representatives interested in entering the winners of their own speech contests should contact
the Aurora Foundation by e-mail at speech@jlsf-aurora.org for further information.