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Winners of High School Speech Contest on the Northern Territories Pay Courtesy Call on Prime Minister


Monday, March 12, 2007



Photograph of a courtesy call by the winners of the High School Speech Contest on the Northern Territories


Prime Minister Shinzo Abe received a courtesy call at the Prime Minister's Official Residence from the top winners of the Twenty-First High School Speech Contest on the Northern Territories and talked with them.

The aims of the contest are to foster successors to the campaign for the return of the Northern Territories, raise public awareness of the issue, and give high school students in Hokkaido a correct understanding of the history of the Northern Territories and the current situation there. This year the contest was held in Sapporo City, Hokkaido, on January 21. The first prize was awarded to Yoshiaki Togawa from Asahikawa University High School (left in the photo), while the second prize went to Sakura Komido from Obihiro Sanjyo High School (right in the photo).

After talking with the two students, Prime Minister Abe shared his observations, saying, "The most important thing is to face up to the various issues in the world today and think carefully about them. After all, if we forget that these issues are out there, we will not be able to resolve them. I think it is important for the resolution of this issue that people show interest in it and express their own thoughts about it, as you two have done."