Japan Ethics and Philosophy Grand Prix 2027 (route to the International Philosophy Olympiad)

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.