On January 16, the winners of the "9th Okayama Cup Japanese Speech Contest" held on October 27, 2023, Ms. Jiang Jin from Dalian University of Foreign Languages, who won the grand prize in the speech category, and Ms. Hu Jiayi, who won the grand prize in the recitation category, visited President NASU Yasutomo.

This contest aims to encourage students learning Japanese at universities in the three northeastern provinces of China (Heilongjiang, Jilin, and Liaoning) and enhance collaboration between Japanese and Chinese universities. It was organized in collaboration with the Six National Universities in Japan (Chiba University, Niigata University, Kanazawa University, Okayama University, Nagasaki University, Kumamoto University), the Consulate-General of Japan in Shenyang, and the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) Beijing Representative Office.

During the courtesy visit, Vice President for International Affairs and Alumni SUZUKI Takayoshi, and Associate Professor MOHRI Takami of the Institute of Global Human Resource Development, who served as a judge in the contest, were present. Ms. Jiang and Ms. Hu presented their award-winning speech and reading respectively.

Their visit to Japan was made possible by the "Japanese Language and Culture Study Program" presented by Okayama University as an extra prize for the contest. Ms. Jiang and Ms. Hu observed the Japanese language classes in the Foundation Course for Post Graduate Studies (known as Pre-master Course). After that, they experienced Japanese culture by making Japanese sweets, picking strawberries, and painting Tamashima Daruma dolls. They also visited historical sites in Okayama Prefecture, including Okayama Korakuen Garden, Okayama Castle, Kibitsu Shrine, and the Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter to learn about Okayama's history and traditions.