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Japan Forward
6 days ago
- Japan Forward
Opening the 'Power of 'Why'
このページを 日本語 で読む JAPAN Forward has launched "Ignite," a series to share the voices of students in Japan in English. What do they see beyond our obvious differences, disabilities, and insecurities? Individually and collectively, today's students have the power to shape our global future. Let's listen. This fourth essay introduces another winning work of the Institute for International Business Communication (IIBC) high school student English essay contest. In the following essay, Lynne Mizushima, a high school student in Kanagawa Prefecture, recounts the disruption she felt at the way a foreign exchange student staying with her family embraced life to the fullest. In addition to learning about Japan, the visitor enthusiastically shared her own culture and values, leaving her host family with a new perspective on the meaning of "cultural exchange." Fourth in the Series, 'Ignite' Dark clouds hung over us and raindrops pattered on our umbrellas as we approached Enoshima Beach. It was an unusually cold day in June and I shivered as the wind chilled my damp clothes. The next moment, my friend gave me a mischievous smile. "Let's swim in the ocean!" I gaped at her. She would surely catch a cold. However, she ignored my pleas and sprinted into the water before I knew it. I was left stranded on the beach yelling at her to come back, helpless and exasperated. It was only after twenty minutes that she finally came back to shore with her clothes dripping wet. She's crazy , I thought to myself. "Why? Why did you go in?" She met my incredulous eyes with a smile and replied, "Because, fear is temporary but regret is forever." She explained that she would have regretted not going in despite the weather, and told me she would remember this moment forever, even when her hair turns gray. While I was hesitant in accepting that reasoning, I conceded that I too would likely remember this moment for the rest of my life. Lynne Mizushima, Winner of the 2024 IIBC Excellence Award for her English essay. This is the absolute whirlwind that is my Moroccan friend Noha, who my family hosted as part of an exchange program last summer. Lively and unpredictable yet one of the most considerate people I have ever encountered, Noha left a profound impact on me during her two-week stay in Japan. "Let me take you to a Moroccan restaurant," she said to me and my friends one day. I was perplexed by her sudden proposal. "Why? You're in Japan, wouldn't you rather eat Japanese food?" She eagerly explained that she wanted to introduce us to Moroccan food. At the restaurant she taught us Arabic words like shukran which means "thank you" and I tried Moroccan dishes like Briwats (a triangle-shaped savory pastry) and Tagine (a slow-cooked stew). Over the course of that dinner, I gained insight and understanding about Moroccan cuisine and culture. I recognized that Noha was not only eager to immerse herself in the Japanese experience, but also excited to share her own cultural heritage with us. Furthermore, I was struck with the realization that all the times I had been abroad, I had always been solely intent on absorbing foreign culture. Noha inspired me to devote more effort to sharing my own culture on future occasions. "I want to get flowers for everyone in our class," Noha said to me the evening before her departure. "Why? Is that even possible?" I was in disbelief at her grand and ambitious idea. She said, "I just really want to thank everyone." While I still had doubts, we went to a flower shop and picked out over 50 flowers of different kinds. We brought home an enormous bouquet which stunned both my parents. I then opened my eyes the next day to see that Noha had spent the entire night neatly wrapping the flowers one by one. I was in absolute awe. Noha was one of the most unique people I had ever encountered, and I followed nearly everything she did with one question: "Why?" To my conventional ways of thinking, her actions often left me baffled. However, uncovering her underlying rationale helped me understand and accept her actions completely. It is common for people to judge others when they are acting in a way that is not normal to them, especially if they are of different backgrounds. However, asking a simple "Why?" can alter conventional thinking and offer fresh perspectives. Noha was wild but always very sure of her actions. She had pride in her cultural heritage and didn't fail to show it. [And] she had great kindness in her heart and would always find a way of expressing it. She always took action in what she believed to be important, and spending time with her completely transformed the norms I previously held. I feel very lucky to have met someone like her, and I hope to be equally inspiring to others in my own unique way in the future. Lynne Mizushima is a student at Keio Shonan Fujisawa Junior and Senior High School in Kanagawa Prefecture. She delivered this comment upon receiving the IIBC Excellence Award for her essay submission: I am truly honored to receive the Excellence Award. In this essay, I wrote about my memories of a friend from Morocco whom I met during an exchange program. Being exposed to different cultures and ways of thinking has greatly changed my own values. I am happy to be able to share my precious memories with her with so many people. In writing the essay, I went through a lot of trial and error to make sure that the reader would find it interesting. Improving the essay was fun and a very good experience. Finally, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to the teachers who guided me. Author: Lynne Mizushima Student, Keio Shonan Fujisawa Junior and Senior High School このページを 日本語 で読む
Asahi Shimbun
08-07-2025
- Asahi Shimbun
TOEIC records nulled for 803 over ties to cheating group
A Chinese graduate student is believed to have been hired to help others cheat at this venue in Tokyo's Itabashi Ward on May 18 for the TOEIC English proficiency test. (Noriki Nishioka) Organizers of the Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC) have invalidated the exam records of 803 individuals who are believed to have cheated through a hired imposter. The Institute for International Business Communication will also disqualify those individuals from taking a TOEIC for five years, officials said July 7. Wang Likun, a Chinese graduate student at Kyoto University, was arrested in May on suspicion of trespassing at a TOEIC exam venue in Tokyo's Itabashi Ward by impersonating a test-taker. The Metropolitan Police Department believes Wang was expected to mumble out the correct answers to other test-takers engaged in cheating. The 803 individuals applied for TOEIC using the same or near-identical address as Wang's since May 2023, according to the organizers. TOEIC exam venues are assigned based on test-takers' addresses. Applicants from the same neighborhood sit for the test at the same place. The institute also said it ensures that test-takers have turned off their cellphones before the exam to prevent cheating. Wang, 27, was hiding a small microphone with an antenna in his mask and wearing a pair of smart glasses with camera functions when he was arrested in May. He was rearrested twice on suspicion of forging admission tickets to enter other TOEIC exam venues in Tokyo in February and March. The suspect has refused to discuss the cases, according to investigative sources. Wang initially told police that he received a message in Chinese around winter 2024 and was told he would be paid if he took the test. The MPD believes others have provided correct exam answers in similar arrangements. After Wang's arrest, police found that 77 Chinese nationals who were scheduled to take TOEIC at a venue in Tokyo's Nerima Ward on June 7 used the same address in their applications. Also, 18 people who were to sit for the exam at a venue in Tokyo's Minato Ward on June 22 used the same address. Six of those test-takers told police that they were trying to cheat on TOEIC. One admitted to applying for a fraudulent arrangement through social media and paying 50,000 yen ($340). The MPD suspects that masterminds in China are leading an organized cheating scheme.
The Mainichi
08-07-2025
- The Mainichi
Over 800 suspected of cheating on TOEIC English exam in Japan
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- At least 803 people in Japan are believed to have cheated on an English proficiency test between May 2023 and June 2025, the test's administrator said Monday, adding it has notified the examinees of the nullification of their exam results and a five-year ban on retaking the test. The findings by the Institute for International Business Communication come after Wang Li Kun, a Chinese graduate student at Kyoto University, was arrested for allegedly trying to take TOEIC -- the Test of English for International Communication -- using another person's ID in May. The examinees in question are believed to have taken advantage of the exam system that uses applicants' addresses to allocate testing sites, as they used the same or similar addresses as written on Wang's application. Wang has allegedly told police that he received a message in Chinese around last winter that he would be paid for sitting the exam. The widespread fraud is suspected to have been organized by a Chinese group. The 27-year-old allegedly hid a microphone inside a face mask, apparently to share his answers with other test takers. Around 40 people applied to sit the May exam using the same address as Wang. The suspect has already been indicted on suspicion of forging a private document for sitting exams on another occasion in Tokyo.
Japan Forward
06-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Japan Forward
Friends: Beyond the Differences
このページを 日本語 で読む JAPAN Forward has launched "Ignite," a series to share the voices of students in Japan in English. What do they see beyond our differences? Individually and collectively, today's students will shape our global future. Let's listen. This third essay introduces another winning work of the Institute for International Business Communication (IIBC) high school student English essay contest. In the following essay, high school student Anna Koga recounts the hurt she felt when her friend's way of saying goodbye wasn't as intense as her own. She recalls in an essay the emotional experience of learning to understand the differences among friends and overcoming the hurt. Third in the Series, 'Ignite' "Thank you for everything," I said, holding back tears, "I will never forget the amazing days I spent with you." I stood in front of the security gate in Pittsburgh International Airport. "I'm going to... miss you... so much," I managed to say between sobs. Clear sky, fresh air and a nice smell of morning coffee. Everything was too perfect to say goodbye to Cathy, my host sister. It wasn't our first goodbye. A year earlier, Cathy came to my house in Japan as a homestay student. Following a wonderful week, she went back home to Pittsburgh, after which our friendship grew. Filled with emotions, welling up with tears, I waited for her to say something. Compared to me crying my eyes out, she had a much brighter outlook on our parting. "Yeah," she chirped, "but I can't wait to see you again! Have a safe flight, Anna!" A quick hug and she gently urged me to go to the gate. Anna Koga is the winner of the IIBC Grand Prize (2024). If I am being honest with myself, and you the reader, I was disappointed. I had always believed that it is only polite to follow the Japanese cultural custom of nagori oshimu ― saying goodbye reluctantly. I expected her to be just as reluctant. When I was walking into the line at the gate, my head filled with many questions. "Isn't she sad that I'm leaving? Won't she miss me even a little? Did I do something wrong?" I turned to see her face, but she was gone. Even after three in-flight movies and a long, restless nap on the airplane, I was still thinking about this ordeal. Perhaps she wasn't very moved because she no longer cared about me. But as soon as I touched down, she texted me "I miss you so much already!" Why now?! After some research online, I found that many fellow Japanese have been in the same situation. Not only that, but I also read a blog written by an American woman living in Japan, introducing her experiences of parting with Japanese friends. What surprised me more was that she felt very awkward when Japanese showed reluctance to leave. This reminded me of [Geert] Hofstede's cultural dimensions theory on differences in cultures across countries and how those relate to values and behavior. According to the theory, Japan is a collectivistic country, meaning that people value connections and crave sustained connections with others. This accounts for the nagori oshimu custom. It is a display of our wish to remain together. In contrast, countries like America are individualistic, and people value independence. It might be true that cultural differences lead people to have different values. This past year, my host sister didn't text me as much as my other long-distance friends. Despite this, I neither think she doesn't care about me, nor do I believe people in individualistic countries don't care. When telling her that economics would prevent me from being able to visit her as I had planned, her family agreed to let me stay at her house. She then planned the entire trip for me. She took me to many places and let me try anything I wanted. She stuck by my side and introduced me to her amazing friends. Why would she have done this if she didn't care about me? Regardless of the culture, everyone has their own life to live and their own sense of values to guide them. Having the exact same sense should not be the thing that maintains a friendship. If what you and your friends value the most is different, even if that changes, the memories of the good times you spent together stay. And that's all you need to stay connected. I'm sure that I will have various people as my friends, and it may not be easy for me or them to keep in touch. When that time comes, I will remember my experiences throughout each friendship. And in the end, even if Cathy doesn't cry, you can be sure that I will. Anna Koga is a student at Saitama Municipal Omiya International Secondary School. Upon receiving the IIBC Grand Prize, she stated: "I am very honored to receive the Grand Prize. "This essay is about the differences in values I experienced when interacting with my American friends, and the frustration I felt about it. While writing the essay, I thought about the relationship between differences in values and friendship, and was able to find my own answer to the question, 'What is needed for friendship that transcends differences?' "I would like to continue to build rich human relationships by interacting with people from all over the world, without being bound by 'differences.' In particular, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my teachers who taught me and to all the judges. Author: Anna Koga Saitama Municipal Omiya International Secondary School このページを 日本語 で読む
Japan Forward
29-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Japan Forward
A World of Generosity
このページを 日本語 で読む JAPAN Forward has launched "Ignite," a series to share the voices of students in Japan in English. How do they see the world, and what insights will they share with us? Individually and collectively, today's students will shape our global future. Let's listen. This second essay introduces another winning work of the Institute for International Business Communication (IIBC) high school student English essay contest. In the following essay, high school student Keinosuke Muto shares how living and making friends in a foreign country ignited his open-mindedness and cultural curiosity, and how that has affected his view and perspectives on the world. Second in the Series, 'Ignite' The scorching desert burned my skin, as my body screamed for water and food. Temptations crept into my brain, but I must close my eyes to punish myself for my daily sins rather than refresh my thirst. The word 'Ramadan' initially evoked an idea of strangeness and strictness when I first moved to Dubai, United Arab Emirates. All of these stereotypes were shattered when Mohammad, my best friend, invited me to Iftar, the grand dinner served after a day of fasting. We were about to eat dinner when Mohammed's mom suddenly asked us to hold a bag. Inside were a myriad of plates, each covered in aluminum foil, each holding in the warmth of homemade food. The mouthwatering smell of saffron rice and kebab rose from it. Mohammed's mother told us to get in the car. She held another bag, hers filled with bottled water. Genuinely confused, I asked Mohammed. "What are we doing?" "We're gonna go around and give food to people," he replied. Giving food to relatives and friends, I thought. Like Japan, in the New Year, where my aunt shares homemade mochi with my family… Mohammed's mom drove the car for a few minutes when we reached our first stop: a construction site. I was flabbergasted. Why are we stopping here? In front of a gray, half-built mansion, men in blue clothes gathered around a small table. Mohammed suddenly rolled down the window. "A-salaam Alaikum," he said merrily. Mohammed and his mother tenderly grabbed the food and water from the bags and handed it to the workers. "Thank you, thank you," they said. The next stop was a small security office. This time, my hands were moving, grabbing the wrapped food from my bag, and handing it to the officers. Broad smiles stretched across their faces. After we went around a few more stops, I asked Mohammed, "Why do you do this?" "Because it's Ramadan, the month of sharing." It was at this moment that my stereotypes about Ramadan were shattered. Ramadan wasn't just the action of fasting, it was a world of generosity and sharing with those in need. It was never a punishment, but understanding the poor and being benevolent. Keisuke Muto, a student at Makuhari Junior and Senior High School in Chiba Prefecture won the Excellence Award and America-Japan Society President's Award. He wrote about living overseas and the excitement of discovering other cultures. (©IIBC) A few weeks after Ramadan, I invited Mohammed to come to my house for a Takoyaki party. It was his first time seeing Takoyaki. He was filled with excitement as we poured the dough into the small holes. "What are we putting in the dough?" he questioned. "It's gonna be octopus," I replied. "What? No way, it's my first time!" He seemed bewildered but also exhilarated at the thought of trying something he'd never eaten before. I was glad that I conveyed to Mohammed my own culture. Fast forward 4 years, and I'm the leader of the Arabic Culture Club. We make videos about the Arab World, visit restaurants, mosques, and embassies to learn about Arabic culture. My Japanese friends ask me numerous times: "Why are you doing this?" I recall how my experiences with Mohammed shattered my biases. On that day, his actions taught me that behind a veneer of stereotypes, there's a world of fascination and beautiful culture. It was a glimpse of a world that drove me curious, one that I wanted to explore even after returning to Japan. Through my friendship with him, I learned the joy of learning and conveying cultures. Conversations at his dinner table taught me traditional Arabic foods that are rarely served in restaurants. Small talk in school immersed me in the wonders of the Arabic World. On the other hand, it was from the fun we had that Mohammed learned about Japanese culture. We had Takoyaki parties, ate at Ramen shops, and engaged in Anime talk. When conveying Japanese culture to him, I quickly learned how enjoyable conveying a culture is. I wouldn't be in the Arabic Culture Club if I were not friends with Mohammed. It was he who shaped my life. Thank you, Mohammed. Keinosuke Muto won the 2023 Excellence Award and the America-Japan Society President's Award for his English-language essay. At the time, he was a second-year high school student at Makuhari Junior and Senior High School in Chiba Prefecture. He explained his thoughts about the essay as follows: "I am very honored to receive the Excellence Award and the America-Japan Society President's Award, I wrote about my experience of iftar at my best friend's house when I was living in Dubai in the Middle East. [And] I tried hard to clearly express how I overcame the prejudices I had about Islam. Through this wonderful experience, I was able to gain a new perspective and felt the power to resolve prejudices and misunderstandings. I would like to continue to deepen my understanding of different cultures and beliefs and build rich human relationships. I would like to thank the teachers who supported me and the judges who selected me." Author: Keinosuke Muto, Student, Makuhari Junior and Senior High School, Chiba Prefecture このページを 日本語 で読む
