This year, Arizona State University is hosting the contest, and for the first time, it will be held outside of a college campus. The Japanese Friendship Garden in Phoenix and the Consulate General of Japan, Los Angeles, are co-presenting the Nineteenth Annual Arizona Japanese Speech Contest together with AATJ.

    The event will be 12:30-5:30 p.m. Sunday, April 13, at the Japanese Friendship Garden, located in Hance Park on 3rd Avenue just north of Roosevelt. This contest is designated as one of the School of International Letters and Cultures (SILC) inaugural events.  Generous funds have been provided by SILC, the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the Center for Asian Research, and the Office of the Vice President for Global Engagement at ASU, as well as by other colleges and universities, the Japan Foundation, the Japan Business Association of Arizona, and business entities in and outside of Arizona.

    This event is open to public. For more information, contact the contest chair, Miko Foard, at miko.foard@ asu.edu, or at 480-965-6100 or 480-967-6982.