The Japan Times is inviting Japanese readers to participate in the 35th Annual Tape Recitation Contest now being presented by its bilingual weekly, Shukan ST, with the support of the Education Ministry.

Those interested should submit a cassette tape recording of the contest text, which appears in Shukan ST and is available upon request.

Entries will be accepted in two categories: the high school division and the college/general division. Winners will get one of many fabulous prizes, including airline tickets, digital cameras and MD/CD radio-cassette players.

In addition to the Education Ministry, the contest is being supported by Nichibei Kaiwa Gakuin, Lufthansa German Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, Fuji Xerox Co., Seiko Instruments, Inc., SII Trading, Inc., Oki Software Co. and Kodansha International Ltd.

Qualifications:

1) High school division -- Students currently attending classes at a high school in Japan.

2) College/general division -- Anyone 18 years or older who is not qualified for the high school division.

3) Native speakers of English, those who have lived for one year or longer in a country where English is a major language and applicants who have placed first, second or third in a previous contest are not qualified to enter the contest.

Recitation text:

The passage to be read for the contest will appear in all editions of Shukan ST through Oct. 8. A copy of the contest text will be mailed upon request. Call (03) 3452-4077 or fax (03) 3452-3303.

Application procedure:

Entrants should record their recitation on audio cassette and send it to: English Tape Contest, Shukan ST, Japan Times 108-8071

Deadline:

Entries must be postmarked by Oct. 31. Announcement of contest results: Results of the first stage screening will appear in the Nov. 26 issue of Shukan ST. Contest finalists will be announced in the Dec. 24 issue.

Selection of winners:

High school division -- Entries will be divided by geographic region into four groups. A total of 20 entries, five from each group, will be selected to advance to the next stage. Six finalists will be selected and awarded prizes for first through sixth place.

College/general division -- Twenty entries will be selected from all entries nationwide at the first stage of the competition. Six finalists will be selected and awarded prizes for first through sixth place.

Evaluation:

Entrants' understanding of the recitation passage and their ability to appropriately express its content will be evaluated on a five-point scale. For inquiries, call Shukan ST at (03) 3452-4077.