Year 10, 11 and 12 Japanese language students in Mackay will be one step closer to win a fully funded trip to Japan in August when CQU Mackay hosts the Meikai-Asahi-Central Queensland University Japanese speaking festival on Saturday, August 26.

The aim of the competition organised by Central Queensland University (CQU), is to give students who are studying Japanese in regional areas, the same opportunities to compete and win such competitions as students in capital cities.

Sponsors, Meikei and Asahi University have had a long standing relationship with CQU since 1988. Students from the Japanese Universities and CQU have been exchanged to study each other’s languages and the Japanese students have also attended study tours at the CQU language centre in Rockhampton.

The speaking competition, now in its sixth year is rotated to a new regional Queensland town each year.

Mackay was chosen to host the competition this year as there is a large high school student population studying Japanese and they are supported only by the LOTE (Languages other than English) teachers network.

Four winners will be judged by academic staff from Meikai and Asahi University receiving a fully funded tour in Japan for their efforts.

Photo above: Last years winner of the Meikai-Asahi-Central Queensland University Japanese speaking festival