Milika Fifita (18), a Form Seven student of Tonga High School is Tonga’s nominee for a study tour to Japan after winning the 8^th Japanese Speech Contest open category on Wednesday, May 10 in Nuku’alofa.

The Japanese Ambassador HE Mr Yukio Numata said in education, there are two notable subjects where the popularity of Japanese culture among the young people of Tonga, the study of Soroban and the Japanese language.

“Tonga is unique for its syllabus division has created its own unique Japanese language textbook, where by studying Japanese can be easily understood by students, even though it is a foreign language within Tonga’s social context.”

The Minister for Education Hon Penisimani Fifita said of the growing advancement of the Japanese language in Tonga, evident in the construction of a Japanese language lab at the Tonga Insitute of Education. "We are proud of this achievement and thanked Japan for their ongoing support," he said.

A total of 24 students competed in the contest. Winners from Form 4-6 were awarded Japanese school materials, with an open category (18-plus) for the nomination.  The winners were:

• Open - Milika Fifita of Tonga High School
• Form 6 - Ariel Sanchez of Tonga High School.
• Form 5 - Tangimotia Havea of 'Eua High School
• Form 4 - Salome Po'uli from Tonga High School 

Milika has been nominated by the Embassy of Japan to the Japan Foundation as a candidate for the Japanese Language Program study tour for two-weeks in September this year, in Osaka.

The Japanese language was first introduced in Tonga in 1986. There are now seven schools teaching the language, including and one Tertiary institute.

Competitors also came from Tonga College, Tailulu College in Tongatapu, Vava’u High School and Tailulu College in Vava'u.