Participants:              Anne Marie Todd, Ph.D. Candidate, University of Southern California

                            Andy Peterson, Graduate, University of Iowa

Coach:                 Barb Pickering, University of Nebraska at Omaha

This was an amazing experience, and I can’t say enough about the hospitality of ALL our Japanese hosts.  It was truly an experience I’ll never forget, and I speak for all three of us in thanking the CIDD for this opportunity.  It’s difficult to truly capture this experience in words, because everything and everyone was so wonderful. 

GENERAL COMMENTS:

First, our thanks to all the programs who hosted us, and to the student/faculty participants.  Each and every one of them made our trip an especially memorable one.  I hope that the U.S. hosts are able to reciprocate the hospitality shown us by the Japanese.  Whether it was finding a unique restaurant to try, visiting the local historical (and often “social”) sites, or chauffeuring us to train stations or airports, we felt very well cared for at each stop.

Second, special thanks to:  Naoto Usui whose careful planning and constant concern for us made our travel extremely easy; Tomohiro Kanke and Yoshi for their “extra-special” attention; Kanke & Yoshiro Yano for their willingness to play “tour guides” as we visited some astounding temples and Japanese gardens; Yoshi for her help in coordinating our airline and train travel outside of Tokyo; extra-special thanks to Yano for arranging an unforgettable lunch at the Iron Chef French restaurant, and his general good nature in dealing with the US team; Kauhiko Seno, who astounded us with his knowledge of NDT history (often embarrassing us with our lack of knowledge!); and finally to Satoru Aonuma, Father Scott Howell, and all the JDA members for their tireless efforts to keep debate alive in the universities of Japan.  We were often pleasantly surprised to see the smiling face of a JDA member in the audience of a debate event.  Their support for this tour is overwhelming.  We commend them for their support and for their friendship.

Finally, at each stop, we marveled at the skills of the Japanese debaters.  I would echo the sentiments of previous coaches in my admiration for their mastery of English.  When you consider that debating in English requires a sort of translation of words into Japanese concepts and back into English, it is truly impressive to observe these students.  We hope that the U.S. exchange tour can continue to provide an avenue for these students.  Regardless of the students’ debate experience (which ranged from novices to alumni of the college programs) we were always impressed with their command of English.

Topics we debated were: 

              Resolved: That Japan should elect its Prime Minister directly by citizens’ vote.

              Resolved:  Should Japan amend its Constitution so as to allow the threat or use of force for settling international disputes

June 11 The tour begins!             

Andy and I connected in Minneapolis before flying to Los Angeles.  After sitting on the runway (no kidding!) through a thunderstorm, hail and tornado?3 hours later we began the flight to LA. 

June 12 Preparation for the tour

              The day was spent in last minute preparation:  copying articles, cutting and block materials.

June 13/June 14 -- Departure from LAX/Flight to Tokyo

              We arrived in Tokyo and were able to clear customs easily.  The only “notable event” was the customs agent who said to Anne Marie, “You are very pretty.  Do you have a boyfriend?”  We were greeted at Narita Airport by Naoto Usui, who escorted us to the Shinagawa Prince, which was our “home away from home” for the next 18 days.  After checking in, Naoto hosted us at dinner at the top of the hotel, where we enjoyed our first meal of sushi.

June 15 -- 

We had the morning off, so Andy, Anne Marie and I did final preparation for the tour, and we all began adjusting to the time difference!  That afternoon we went to Sophia University, where we met Father Scott Howell.  After an orientation meeting for the tour, we met many of the Japanese students who were involved with the JDA.  Party at Sophia with Naoto Usui, Seno, Kanke, Satoru, and Father Howell.  Lots of good Japanese beer!  Our first exposure to nato (fermented soybeans)!

June 16 Japanese Businesspeople Debate Federation

・        Students (U.S. International Debate team) participated in a debate

・        Topic:  election of Prime Minister/    Side:  Negative

・        Affirmative:  Mr. Isao Ayabe and Mr. Norio Sakurai

・        Oral critique of the debate.

・        Lecture, “Critical thinking skills as a valuable outcome of debate training”

Isao Ayabe and Norio Sakurai hosted us at a pre-debate lunch.  That afternoon we debated at Meiji Yakka University in front of approximately 50 people.  Many of these members participate in the JBDF for the purpose of learning English and practicing their skills.  This organization is the Japanese equivalent of U.S. Toastmasters in some ways.  Our dinner afterwards was at a traditional Japanese restaurant, and the food was FABULOUS.  Memorable moments:  Sushi served complete with the fish head on the platter!

June 17 Japanese East-West Debate Tournament, held at Dokkyo University

・        We judged the quarter-final, semi-final and final rounds of the tournament (Japanese equivalent of the National Debate Tournament)

・        Oral critique of the final round of competition

The atmosphere at this tournament was similar to that of U.S. high school tournaments.  After the tournament students from Dokkyo University hosted us at dinner.

June 18 University of Kitakyuushu

・        Students (U.S. International Debate team) participated in a debate against 2 members of the Kitakyuushu English Speaking Society (ESS).

・        Lecture, “How did the Debates affect the 2000 Presidential election?"

・        Audience of approximately 200 students/faculty.

Kanke and his partner Yoshi took us to Tokyo airport for our first out-of-Tokyo event.  We flew to Fukuoka where 3 VERY enthusiastic English Speaking Society students greeted us.  As we drove to the campus, we marveled at the scenery?it was a big change from Tokyo, very green, lush, mountainous terrain.  The ceremony at Kitakyuushu University was very elaborate, they had banners to advertise the event, each of us had a “personal attendant” for the day, and they did everything for us!  The students were very bubbly?they were clearly excited about hosting the U.S. team.  We had some great sashimi afterwards with the students. 

June 19 Kyuushu University

・        Students (U.S. International Debate team) participated in a debate against members of the Kyuushu English Speaking Society (ESS).

・        Host:  Professor Inoue

・        Lecture, “Critical thinking skills as a valuable outcome of debate training” 

・        Audience of approximately 50 faculty/students/English Speaking Society debaters.

We left Kokura Station on the Shinkansen (Bullet train) for Kyushu University where we were met by Nariaki Sato and Yasuyuki Toki.  The weather conditions for the day were TORRENTIAL DOWNPOURS!  The students told us that this was not a very good time to visit, because they were in the middle of “the rainy season”?they weren’t kidding.  This group included debaters who were less experienced; consequently we did a run-through of the debate prior to the actual event.  I lectured on Critical thinking skills?and discovered there were several faculty in the audience who had either done research on the topic, or wanted to know more about the research.  The discussion with the Japanese faculty was extremely interesting.  Following the debate, we had dinner at the Royal Host with Tommy Hirahasi (faculty) and the Kyuushu students.  It was an interesting picture, with the Japanese students ordering American style foods, while the three of us tried okonimayki (a Japanese style pancake made with egg, flour, vegetable and meats) for the first time.

June 20 Ehime University.

• Students (U.S. International Debate team) participated in a debate against Shinsuke Y. and Yuji H. who were students from Ehime University ESS 
• Lecture, “Critical thinking skills as a valuable outcome of debate training” 
•  

This was our first travel scare?we found out before leaving the hotel in Kyuushu that morning that the airline we were scheduled to travel on had gone out on strike.  Luckily, the flight from Fukuoka airport went out as scheduled and we headed to Matsayama where we met students from Ehime’ University.  The audience consisted of a small group of debate students and a few faculty members.  This group referred to us as having “funny character”?we still wonder exactly what they meant by that?! They were excellent hosts!  We had one of the most “American” style meals during our trip at Ehime’?fried chicken, pizza, French fries (along with Japanese food).  Our best karaoke experience was with this group?and we have the pictures to prove it!  Favorite songs,  “Welcome to the Jungle,”  “Hotel California.”

June 21 Travel to Kyoto

We left Matsuyama airport and traveled to Kyoto on a VERY ROUGH flight!  Deborah Foreman-Takano met us at the airport .  She graciously took us for an afternoon of “power sightseeing”?two temples in less than 3 hours, including the Ginkaku-ji temple.  We also walked the “Path of Philosophy,” but it’s hard to say whether that enhanced our intellectual skills!  Later we had dinner at Ashoka, a wonderful Indian restaurant.  In the afternoon we had some time to do shopping at the Kyoto Handicraft Center?this is a good place to pick up the “little gifts” you may be looking for.

June 22 Doshisha University. 

• Students (U.S. International Debate team) participated in a debate against Doshsisha debaters:  Akino Yamamoto/Momoyo Iwatsuru
• Topic:  Prime Minister election
• Oral critique of the debate.
• Lecture, “Critical thinking skills as a valuable outcome of debate training” 
• Small group discussion with students from English Speaking classes.

The event was well attended, and the students were especially excited about the reception, which was hosted at the faculty center on campus.  On our way to the Kyoto station we were able to see a “Japanese style grocery store”?I’ll never complain about the price of groceries again.  A single cantaloupe ranged in price from 500 yen to 750 yen?wrapped in beautiful gold ribbon and packaged in a box!!!  This truly puts the cost of Japanese living (particularly food costs) in perspective!  We rode the Shinkansen  back to Tokyo, where Naoto met us at Shinagawa Station.

June 23 Daily Yomiuri Debate Tournament competition.

• Competitors include graduates of college programs, and members of the general public (some who have never debated before).

・        All of us judged  preliminary rounds, and the final round. 

・        I presented an oral critique of the final round.  Audience is the general public, between 250-300 members in audience. 

・        Lecture by Takeshi Suzuki on Critical Thinking Skills.  Unfortunately, it was in Japanese.

W left the hotel in the morning, headed for the Daily Yomiuri Newspaper Company.  Seno accompanied us to the event.  A special “VIP lounge” was available for the judges in between rounds of competition. The final round audience was over 200 people in the audience.  Final round panel included the 3 of us, a JDA member and the editor of the DY.  This competition is for graduates of Japanese universities, and includes many individuals who have never debated before.  The first place prize was $2,000.  It’s a great way to showcase debate competition.   Afterwards we had dinner at “A little girl typhoon” (Chinese style) in the Ginza area with the competitors, the JBDF and the JDA folks.

June 24 --NAFA Kanto debate event, Dokkyo University

• Lecture, “Critical thinking skills as a valuable outcome of debate training” 
• Tournament held is for college sophomores, audience was approximately 100 students.

Left the hotel in the morning for Dokkyo University.  This event was the NFA Debate event.  This was our toughest competition because we debated against 2 members of the NAFA who were also graduates.  The audience included many sophomore level teams who had finished their day of competition.  After the lecture, these students had lots of questions regarding current U.S. practices in debate.  Dinner afterwards was hosted by  the NAFA members. 

June 25 Day off

We took advantage of a day without debates to travel to Kamakura with Kanke as our able guide.  It was nice to get out of Tokyo for a day.  We saw the “Big Buddha”, as well as several other beautiful flower gardens, and temples?one which was designated for “women who had lost children” (an interesting concept to us Americans!).  We had lunch at a Soba (buckwheat noodles) restaurant.  On our way back we stopped in Yokohama and took a ferryboat around to the Landmark tower?the tallest building in Japan.  Anne Marie, Kanke and I went to the observation deck at the top.  We later had dinner in Chinatown at a restaurant where the chef was a competitor of the “Iron Chef”).

June 26 Kanda University of International Studies

• Students (U.S. International Debate team) participated in a debate against     Teruyo Kotaki/Risa Miyajima (Kanda ESS program).
• Topic:  Constitution (article 9)
• Side:  Affirmative   
• Oral critique of the debate.

Because we had much of the afternoon free, the students took us on a tour of campus and we stopped off in the student center to play some ping-pong.  A great afternoon of “ping-pong diplomacy”!   The debate was conducted using a parliamentary style of debate.  Our audience was approximately 100 people.  Dinner was at the “garlic” restaurant at the top of a building where we had a fabulous view

June 27 Dokkyo University

• Students (U.S. International Debate team) participated in a debate against  students from Dokkyo University Debate team.
• Oral critique of the debate.
• Lecture, “How did the Debates affect the 2000 Presidential election?"

Lunch at a fast food (conveyor belt) sushi restaurant.  An interesting experience selecting your food from a conveyor belt as it circled the counter.  Dinner afterwards with JDA (Seno/Kanke) and Dokkyo students.

June 28  Free day in Tokyo. 

Yano took us on a walking tour of a garden that’s in the middle of the city.  It is known for the beautiful irises that bloom there.  We were treated to lunch at “La Rochelle,” the Iron Chef French restaurant with Yano and Saturo?VERY FANCY!  The best way to describe this lunch is WOW!!!  Later we went to Asakusa?where you can do “touristy type shopping”, although there is better shopping for specific gifts in Kyoto.  After a visit to the temple, we headed to Akihabura for Andy to look at high tech stuff.  Later we had dinner at an okonomiyaki restaurant in Skinjuku with Naoto?GREAT FOOD.  You cook the egg/vegetable/meat dishes on the grill that is at your table.  Naoto’s an expert at cooking this. 

June 29 Free morning/transfer to Tohoku

Before we left Tokyo, we spent part of the day at Oeno Garden and the Tokyo National Museum for some sight seeing.  Great archeological displays.  We took the Shinkansen to Sendai station/Tohoku.  The students took us to dinner in the train station.  The restaurant was a “specialty” spot?everything on the menu was ox?ox tongue barbeque, ox tongue soup, etc.  Truly a dinner to remember!

June 30 Community Center, Touhoku, Japan

・        Lecture, “How did the Debates affect the 2000 Presidential election?"

・        Students (U.S. International Debate team) debated alumni of Tohoku University:   Daisuke Ishii and Kouichi Sato.

・        Topic:  Prime Minister election: 

・        Side:  Negative

Both my lecture and the debate were open to a public audience.  My lecture was taped by a local cable station, and may actually have aired on their networks!  The students included one of the team members from the NAFA debate and another alumnus of the program at Touhoku. 

July 1-- Sightseeing with the Tohoku students/Transfer to Tokyo

We went to Matsu-shima on a boat and had another “unique” lunch?including sea urchin and many other creatures that I couldn’t identify.  We went through another beautiful Japanese temple.  Later that afternoon we took the Bullet train from Sendai station.  We were met at Tokyo station by Naoto, and headed back to the hotel.  After quickly changing clothes, we headed to the farewell dinner?where we were met by 20-30 Japanese debaters, JDA members, JBDF members, and Father Howell.  We spent the evening exchanging gifts and business cards.  After dinner we headed to the Shinagawa prince for karaoke?which is done in your own private room!  We stayed in the karaoke room for an hour and then went to the top of the Shinagawa prince for one last drink with our JDA friends to say our goodbyes and sayonara.

July 2 Heading Home

After checking out of the hotel, we boarded the shuttle for Narita airport.  When we arrived at the ticket counter, we found out that our flight to LA was overbooked, and they offered Andy and I a direct flight to Minneapolis.  After consulting we Anne Marie we immediately said yes.  When Andy and I got to the gate we discovered that we had been re-booked into FIRST CLASS.  Quite the way to return to the U.S.!!!!  Clearing customs in Minneapolis was a piece of cake and Andy and I said goodbye and headed home on the last leg.