For Japanese high school student Takumi Masaka, traveling to New York City to play the role of a Syrian diplomat at a simulation of a United Nations conference was a life-altering experience that opened his eyes to differing worldviews.
Masaka, 17, is one of a growing number of Japanese students taking part in the Model United Nations, and he and another Japanese student representing Syria won an Honorable Mention Award at the event for high school kids from around the world in May, held partly at the U.N. headquarters.
With support from schools and corporate sponsors, more and more high school and university students in Japan are keen to take advantage of the debate and public speaking opportunity, which motivates them to stay abreast of global issues, learn foreign languages, especially English, and hone their group organizational skills.