With New Year's Day now behind us, it is time to start preparing for annual traditions all over again. First on the list at the Japan Information Center is our annual Japanese speech contest, open to any and all entrants from the 10-state Midwestern region that the Consulate represents. We are now accepting applications. Importantly for our purposes today: you cannot be an entrant if you do not write a speech and fill out a brief application and somehow deliver it to the Japan Information Center NO LATER than February 25. Click here to go to our website's speech contest page for more detailed information, including specific eligibility requirements and information on the !GRAND PRIZE! (hint: it involves a free trip to a country where most of the population speaks Japanese).

We Are Now Accepting Applications for the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology's Scholarships for Japanese Studies and Teacher Training
The deadline for the 2012 Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology (MEXT) Scholarships in Japanese Studies and Teacher Training is fast approaching.

The scholarships are open to United States citizens residing in the Consulate's ten-state jurisdiction: Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, and Kansas. The application deadline is February 25th.
Go here for more information and application materials.