U.S.-Japan Exchange Debate

U.S.-Japan Exchange Debate 2007

This year is for Japan Tour and American delegate has just visited Japan in June.Masako Suzuki and Mr. Isao Ayabe were the hosts for this year. Application and selection for Japanese national team for US Tour Feb 2008. Will be held in November/December this year.

For further information on U.S.-Japan Exchange Debate Tour between Committee
on International Discussion and Debate (CIDD) of National Communication Association(NCA) in U.S. and Japan Debate Association(JDA), please visit their official websites.

CIDD's report on Japan Tour
http://groups.wfu.edu/debate/International%20Debates/cidd.html
JDA's report on US Tour
http://www.kt.rim.or.jp/~jda/

last Year Report

Two members of the Japanese national debate team, who are touring throughout the U.S., stopped at Western Illinois University to discuss global issues with two representatives from Western recently.

The debate - sponsored by Center for International Studies, Illinois Centennial Honors College, Council on Student Activities Fees and Western Speaking Society - focused on the spreading of American culture into other cultures, including Japanese culture, and speakers from each side discussed whether the American culture is desirable or undesirable.

While the Western team was concerned about the proliferation of American culture around the world and the endangerment of the tradition of each region through worldwide fast-food chains which are popular U.S. entertainments, the Japanese team insisted people can utilize and assimilate the American culture into theirs and have the choice of whether or not to accept it.

The motion was "The Global Spread of American Culture is Undesirable."

The Western debate team took the affirmative side by indicating the danger of the American culture, and the Japanese team took the opposite side, supporting the spread of American culture. Speakers from each team took turns addressing their points of view, which were based on research to support their respective claims. The audience was welcomed to ask questions between constructive speeches and rebuttal speeches. There also was a general discussion of the topic after the debate.

The Western debate team insisted U.S. citizens can sometimes be ignorant of other cultures in different countries because of the dominating influence of American culture. They also said the spread of American culture can endanger the traditions of other cultures with centuries of history.

On the other hand, the Japanese debate team insisted it is desirable to accept American culture because it believes they can choose whether they accept it or not. They also emphasized the importance of a major culture to unite the world by assimilating new elements into the existing cultures.

The Japanese debate team is sponsored by the Committee for International Discussion and Debate which is affiliated with the National Communication Association.

Regards,
Rashedul Hasan Stalin
Source: Western Courier Website