This year marks the end of the 64-year history of the JICA International Cooperation Junior High/High School Student Essay Contest, which has been held as an opportunity for junior high and high school students, the leaders of the next generation, to learn about global issues and challenges, deepen their understanding of the connections with Japan, and consider their own actions. For the final contest in 2025, the theme was “What We Can Do for the Happiness of the World – For the Future,” and we received a total of 29,854 submissions, 11,943 from junior high school students and 17,911 from high school students. The award ceremony was held on February 14, 2026 at JICA Chikyu Hiroba in Ichigaya, Tokyo, to welcome the winners selected from among the entries. A total of 40 junior high and high school students participated, sharing their words that addressed the great question of “happiness in the world” and reflecting on the contest’s 64-year history and its significance.
Awareness of familiar issues is the first step toward international cooperation
At the beginning of the award ceremony, JICA President Akihiko Tanaka addressed the award winners, saying, “I would like you to think about your relationship with global issues through your everyday awareness of the world around you and to put yourself in the other person’s shoes, which is the first step toward international cooperation.
Naoki Ogi, the head judge for the junior high school student category, commented that he was greatly encouraged as an educator by the essays of each of the winners, who linked their learning to action through discussions at the Model United Nations, refugee support activities, and other efforts. She also emphasized that the most appealing aspect of the contest is not the goal of writing an essay, but rather the deepening of awareness of the issues and the linking of the essay to action.
Judging Critique (Mr. Ogi, Head Judge) Judging Critique (Mr. Hoshino, Head Judge)
Ms. Tomoko Hoshino, the head of the jury for the high school student category, said, “I was heartened by the high school students who tackled social issues with hope, despite the unstable international situation. The students’ efforts to apply their own experiences of the disaster and what they learned overseas to their research and activities in the community, as well as their attitude of facing issues while engaging in dialogue with others, were evident in their works, and we felt their desire to bring joy to themselves and others.
After the awarding of the prizes, a video was shown to review the history of the “Essay Contest and Japan’s International Cooperation,” followed by a message to the winners from Kentaro Fukuchi, a JICA staff member who entered the field of international cooperation after receiving the prize in the past and is now working for JICA.
Thinking about global issues as “my business
Taking the stage on behalf of the winners were Sakura Kagami (junior, Osaka Prefectural Suito International Junior High School) and Aoi Tachibana (sophomore, Kanazawa University Senior High School), both winners of the President’s Award of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). Under the theme “The power of learning will change the future,” Sakura Kagami mentioned that the desire to learn is common across countries and environments, and that she hopes to use this award as a starting point for her next studies.
Aoi Tachibana said, “It gave me confidence to know that not only my writing but also my actions that I have accumulated so far were evaluated. She also stressed the importance of starting from diverse standpoints and subjectivities when considering environmental issues and international challenges.
Roundtable discussions and hands-on programs to turn learning into “action readiness
At the roundtable discussion held after the awards ceremony, each of the award winners posed various questions to the judges and guests based on the theme of his or her essay and interest in international cooperation. It was evident that the participants were deepening their own questions as they were exposed to experiences and ideas from the field. Facing adults active in diverse fields, the seriousness of the award winners’ expressions showed their willingness to accept new perspectives.
After the roundtable discussion, the participants visited JICA Chikyu Hiroba’s basic exhibit, “Human Security: Knowing the World, Changing the World,” while listening to the explanations of the Earth Guides. By looking at, touching, and listening to the exhibits, the participants learned about the current situation in which people’s lives and dignity are threatened in various parts of the world, including health, education, poverty, conflict, and infectious diseases, and deepened their understanding of the concept of “human security,” which focuses on the lives and livelihood of each and every person. Participants listened to the explanations with bright eyes and actively asked questions in front of the exhibits, trying to understand global issues as if they were their own.
In the workshop that followed, participants discussed “fairness” through the case of Senegal, based on the experience of JICA Overseas Cooperation Volunteers. Using the choice of “giving” or “not giving” money as a starting point, participants exchanged opinions and deepened their understanding of how to support each other while paying attention to diverse positions, backgrounds, and cultural differences.
Through this roundtable discussion and workshop, participants were able to deepen their attitudes toward global issues as their own and think about them from a variety of perspectives. It was a valuable opportunity for them to link their learning to their future actions.
Roundtable Discussion Tour of Chikyu Hiroba International Cooperation Workshop
Conclusion – Beyond the Last Episode
Congratulations again to all the winners. We would like to express our sincere appreciation to all those who have supported the contest over the years. For 64 years since its inception in 1962 as the “Overseas Migration Essay Contest,” this contest has served as a gateway to broaden interest in international cooperation and cross-cultural understanding for many middle and high school students and schools.
The contest will end in FY2025, but in the spirit of the contest, JICA will continue to support the moment when young people develop an interest in the world by supporting inquiry-based learning, creating exchange opportunities, expanding online delivery of lectures, and promoting a campaign to share experiences.
We would like to thank everyone who supported, cheered and participated in the essay contest.
© Source JICA