Michaela Mapakaitolo (18) of Tonga High School is Tonga’s nominee for a two-week study tour to Japan this year, after winning the 7th Japanese Speech Contest open-category on Friday, 22 April in Nuku’alofa.

The Japanese Ambassador HE Mr Yukio Numata said the speech contest is to encourage students to learn the Japanese language, which is becoming increasingly popular among young people in Tonga.

"Each year, our cooperation strengthens the mutual understanding between Tonga and Japan, through teaching and studying Japanese language based on a very unique syllabus whereby Tonga has its own Japanese textbook, which cannot be found anywhere else in the world."

A total of 22 students competed from Form 4-6 level and open category for 18-year-old plus, from six secondary schools.

Winners of each level were awarded Japanese school materials.

Competitors were from ‘Eua High School, Vava’u High School, Tonga High School, Tonga College and Tailulu College Tongatapu and Tailulu College Vava’u.

The event was co-hosted by the Ministry of Education and the Embassy of Japan.