Fifteen finalists competed in the Secondary School, Junior College and Open categories as Singapore and Japan marked 60 years of diplomatic relations.
The SJ60 Japanese Speech Contest 2026 was held at the Japanese Association in Singapore. The event, which took place on 12 July 2026, was attended by over 100 contestants, family members, teachers, and supporters. 15 finalists from the Secondary School, Junior College and Open categories delivered speeches in Japanese. Three winners were selected from each category following deliberations by the judging panel.
The contest was jointly organised by the Japan Creative Centre, The Japanese Association, Singapore, Japanese Chamber of Commerce & Industry Singapore Foundation, The Japanese Cultural Society Singapore and The Japanese University Graduates Association of Singapore. First held in 1996, the competition encourages Japanese language learners to develop their speaking skills and supports cultural exchange between Singapore and Japan.
Ambassador of Japan to Singapore, H.E. Ishikawa Hiroshi, attended the event alongside Guest of Honour Mr Loh Khum Yean, Chairman of the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore Board. Mr Yean, who completed his undergraduate studies in Japan, congratulated the finalists and spoke about learning Japanese as a means of gaining a broader understanding of Japanese culture.
Japanese Chamber of Commerce & Industry Singapore President Daisuke Kakihara presented prizes to the Secondary School category winners. The top winners in the Junior College and Open categories each received a return air ticket to Japan. The Open category winner was also eligible to participate in a programme organised by the Japan Overseas Enterprises Association, while the Junior College category winners were entitled to join a homestay programme organised by the Hokkaido Singapore Friendship Association.
When asked to encourage those considering next year’s contest, the winners said: 「自信を持って頑張ってください！」, which translates to “Have confidence in yourself and do your best!”
Source: Embassy of Japan in Singapore, Japanese Chamber of Commerce & Industry Singapore – JCCI
