I'm a dinosaur, so I have gotten myself on mailing lists, receiving invitations from old teaching partners, get notifications from the school district or sent to us by various embassies/NPOs/Japanese government programs, and for a while I would check the https://www.eltcalendar.com/ for groups offering training or orientation. It's now the case that more information is available, but fewer aggregators.
Where do you get your event and activity data?
For your time, here's some of the kind of events I am discussing (non-exhaustive, but a good list)
English Speech & Oratory Contests
H.I.H. Prince Takamado Trophy All Japan Junior High School English Oratorical Contest
One of Japan’s most prestigious English speech contests for junior high school students, requiring original speeches delivered live in English.
When: Late November (National Final)
Registration deadline: May–July (through schools)
For: Individual participants (nominated by schools)
Cost: Free
Website: JNSA Prince Takamado English Contest
John Nissel Cup (Sophia University National English Speech Contest)
A national speech contest for high school students, offering winners scholarships to Sophia University.
When: October
Registration deadline: Late summer
For: Individual participants (high school students)
Cost: Free
Website: Check Sophia University’s official page
EF Challenge (EF Youth Leadership Forum Speech Competition)
A global online speech contest where students submit video speeches on a yearly prompt, with top winners attending a leadership event in New York.
When: June 1 (Winners announced), August (Forum in New York)
Registration deadline: May
For: Individual participants (ages 14–18)
Cost: Free (travel covered for winners)
Website: EF Challenge
English Writing & Journalism Contests
All Japan Junior & Senior High School English Newspaper Contest
A national contest where teams create a 4-page English newspaper on chosen themes, judged on journalistic quality and design.
When: November (Final event)
Registration deadline: October
For: Teams (junior and senior high school students)
Cost: Free
Website: https://geic.jp/enc/
Goi Peace Foundation International Essay Contest for Young People
A global essay contest encouraging students to write about themes of peace, sustainability, and global citizenship.
When: October (Winners announced)
Registration deadline: Mid-June
For: Individual participants (under 14 for children’s category, 15–25 for youth category)
Cost: Free
Website: Goi Peace Essay Contest
ICU “Global Youth” Essay Competition
An international essay contest hosted by International Christian University (Tokyo), inviting high schoolers to write about global issues.
When: January (Results announced), February (Award event)
Registration deadline: Late June
For: Individual participants (high school students)
Cost: Free
Website: ICU Global Youth Essay Contest
Debate Competitions
All-Japan High School English Debate Tournament (HEnDA Cup)
The national English debate championship for high schoolers, using policy debate format with regional qualifiers.
When: December (National Tournament)
Registration deadline: Mid-November
For: Teams (4–6 students per team)
Cost: Free (may require travel expenses)
Website: HEnDA
World Scholar’s Cup (WSC)
A global academic competition combining debate, collaborative writing, quizzes, and a team challenge, with rounds in Japan leading to international finals.
When: May (Tokyo Round), August (Global Rounds), November (Yale Tournament of Champions)
Registration deadline: A few weeks before the event
For: Teams of 3 (Junior: 11–14, Senior: 15–18)
Cost: ~15,000 JPY per student for regional rounds; travel costs apply for globals
Website: World Scholar’s Cup
Model United Nations (MUN) & Similar Simulations
Japan Metropolitan Model United Nations (JMMUN)
A student-led MUN conference in Tokyo, with committees for beginner and advanced delegates debating global issues.
When: Late March
Registration deadline: End of January
For: Individual participants or school delegations (junior & senior high students)
Cost: ~¥700 per student
Website: JMMUN on MyMUN
Japan English Model United Nations (JEMUN)
A national MUN conference that also includes a journalism component, held annually in Osaka.
When: Mid-July
Registration deadline: Spring (March–June)
For: Individual participants or school delegations (high school & university students)
Cost: Conference fee varies; travel required for non-local participants
Website: JEMUN
Japan International Educational Model United Nations (JEIMUN)
An international MUN conference in Tokyo, bringing together high school students to debate global issues with cultural exchange activities.
When: January (Annual winter conference)
Registration deadline: October (previous year)
For: Teams of 2 (high school students); individual applicants may also participate
Cost: ¥12,000 per student (conference fee, excluding travel/accommodation)
Website: JEIMUN
Harvard Model Congress Asia (HMCA)
An international government simulation run by Harvard undergraduates, covering US Congress and UN-style diplomacy.
When: January (Conference)
Registration deadline: Late summer/early fall
For: Individual participants or school delegations (high school students)
Cost: Conference fee + travel expenses
Website: HMCA
Embassy-Sponsored Contests
America Bowl (U.S. Embassy Tokyo)
A quiz competition testing students' knowledge of American history, government, and culture, hosted by the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo.
When: Spring (Annual event)
Registration deadline: Announced through the U.S. Embassy’s education office
For: Teams of high school students (3–5 students per team)
Cost: Free
Website: Check U.S. Embassy Tokyo’s official site or social media for announcements
Business & Entrepreneurship Contests
FedEx/Junior Achievement International Trade Challenge (ITC)
A bilingual business plan competition where students develop a global market entry strategy, with top teams advancing to an Asia-Pacific finals event.
When: June (National Finals in Tokyo), August (Regional Finals)
Registration deadline: Early May
For: Teams of 2 high school students
Cost: Free (FedEx sponsors event and travel for finalists)
Website: Contact JA Japan for details (email: [kkana@ja-japan.org](mailto:kkana@ja-japan.org)) https://www.ja-japan.org/contests/ITC.html
SAGE Entrepreneurship Competition (Students for the Advancement of Global Entrepreneurship)
A worldwide business competition where high school teams create and implement real social enterprises or businesses aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
When: Spring (National competitions), Summer (SAGE World Cup global finals)
Registration deadline: Varies by national round (usually April/May)
For: Teams of 3–5 high school students
Cost: Moderate (National round fees vary; World Cup travel expenses apply)
Website: SAGE Global
Temple University of Japan / IIBC International Business Communication essay contest
https://www.iibc-global.org/iibc/activity/essay.html
by Johoku