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A national philosophy essay contest for junior high and high school students; prize winners can take part in the selection for the International Philosophy Olympiad (IPO). The 2026 contest closed at the end of September; the 2027 prompts and dates have not been announced.
Students choose one of four prompts (quotations from philosophers or a contemporary question) and write a philosophical essay of about 4,000 Japanese characters. They set their own question, examine it from several angles and argue for a conclusion with reasons. Essays are judged by the IPO Japan organizing committee and ethics and philosophy faculty from the University of Tokyo and other universities. Prizes in 2026: gold (1, 10,000-yen book card), silver (3), bronze (5) and honorable mentions (about 5% of entries). Prize winners can take part in the IPO selection meeting, and the top 2 there go to the IPO, an essay contest held each May in which each country sends two high school students.