Preface
The Japan Center at Stony Brook (JCSB) was established in 2003 to promote education and research
in the study of Japan, Japanese culture and society, and the lives of both Japanese and Japanese-American
people. JCSB Essay Competition is the first annual outreach program we conceptualized for high school
and college students. Our objective was to offer them an opportunity to reflect themselves deeply, focus on
some aspect of Japan, creatively connect it to their own lives, and write an original essay. The proposal was
submitted to Canon U.S.A. in September 2004 and received renewable annual sponsorship starting in 2005,
when the JCSB Essay Competition was officially launched.

The first honorary judges were Mr. Kinya Uchida and Dr. Shirley Kenny, who were the President
& C.E.O. of Canon U.S.A. and the President of Stony Brook University, at that time, respectively. Their
roles were succeeded by Mr. Joe Adachi, Chairman & C.E.O., Canon U.S.A., Dr. Mark Aronoff, Vice
Provost, Stony Brook University, Ambassador Shinichi Nishimiya, Ambassador Shigeyuki Hiroki,
Ambassador Sumio Kusaka, and Ambassador Reiichiro Takahashi, Consuls General of Japan in New
York. JCSB’s essay competition is open to everyone regardless of their experience of learning Japanese
or visiting Japan. The theme is also wide-open as long as there is a connection between the author and
some aspect of Japan. We have received 1,992 essays from 169 schools over the ten years. Each year,
we discovered new perspectives, new concepts, and new ways of expression through this competition.

This collection includes all award winning essays and selected Honorable Mention essays from the
first ten competitions. It is JCSB’s sincere hope that these essays can help many people widen their
horizon, learn about different values and viewpoints, appreciate diversity, cultivate international
friendship, and become global citizens who can make the world a better place to be.

The Japan Center at Stony Brook
June 17, 2016
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