Please read the following Guidance Notes before completing and submitting your Application Form. Print out this page if you wish to keep the notes.

Qualifications for entry

To enter the Awards you must meet the following criteria:

  • Non-Japanese parentage and nationality.
  • Continuously resident in the UK, one or more member states of the European Union.
  • Open to anyone over 18 years of age.
  • Not more than 13 years’ stay in Japan.
  • Previous winners of the First Prize are not eligible to re-enter into the competition.

The organisers’ decision on an applicant’s eligibility is final, and no correspondence can be entered into on the subject.

Timetable

  • The deadline is 31st August 2022.
  • Telephone interviews will be held after the applications have been received.
  • All candidates will be informed whether they have been selected for the Final Round.
  • By 15th October 2022: Finalists to send speech details to The Sir Peter Parker Awards
    Office.
  • Tuesday 8th November 2022: Final Round (afternoon) and Awards Ceremony (evening), in London.

Telephone interview

When we acknowledge your Application Form, we will contact you to arrange the date and time of your telephone interview. This is intended to give the Judges an indication of your general level of ability in Japanese, so as to assess whether you should proceed to the Final Round of the Awards. You are not expected to have prepared a speech at that stage, though it would be useful if you had given some thought to possible theme.

The telephone interview will deal with everyday matters on which you would be expected to be able to converse in Japanese - for example, talking about a recent visit to Japan, or about your work and your speech idea. It doesn’t have to be defined at this stage. Guidance will be given when the interview is arranged.

The telephone interviews will be recorded for subsequent assessment by a Panel of Judges.

Guidance on speeches

The following notes only apply if you are selected to take part in the Final Round:

Each candidate will be asked to speak on the topic “Doing Business with Japan” for between 8 and 10 minutes, followed by a Question & Answer session which will last for approximately 5 minutes. You can talk about cultural aspects in relation to business.

Should you have any difficulty in selecting a theme, we would be more than happy to advise you. 

Your speech should be between eight and ten minutes long. 

The main judging criteria are

  • Good use of spoken Japanese
  • Communicative nature of presentation
  • How closely presentation is related to aims of Awards
  • Length of stay in Japan

The Final Round takes place before a mostly Japanese audience.

You may not use audio-visual aids.  You may also not read your speech.

You may be asked to change the title of your speech to meet publicity requirements.

Purpose of the awards

To deepen the understanding of Japanese business culture by businessmen and women of the countries of the UK and countries of the European Union through study of the Japanese language, and to contribute to goodwill and mutual understanding with the people of Japan through better communication; and to encourage and reward the efforts of students of the Japanese language, who will in the future make their own contribution to UK-Japan and EU-Japan relations.

Final round and awards ceremony

The Final Round and Awards Ceremony will be held at the SOAS University of London in London. Those selected for the Final Round must be able to attend the ceremony.

Further guidance will be issued to Finalists after the telephone interviews.

Finalists may be required to participate in publicity for the Awards.

The organisers are ready to offer guidance on applicants' eligibility to enter the Awards or on choice of speech title if required. Please contact The Sir Peter Parker Awards Office.