A Memorable Finale and Award Ceremony of the Japanese Singing Contest for Students

The event was honored by the presence of many distinguished guests, including Mr. Tsutomu Takebe, Special Advisor to the Japan–Vietnam Parliamentary Friendship Alliance; Mr. Ogasawara Manabu, Third Secretary of the Embassy of Japan in Viet Nam; Mr. Imagawa Muneki, Head of Japanese Language Education, The Japan Foundation Center for Cultural Exchange in Viet Nam; Ms. Nguyễn Thị Mai Hữu, Head of the Management Board of the National Foreign Languages Project, Ministry of Education and Training; Professor Kurihara Hirohide, Special Advisor and JICA Expert at Vietnam–Japan University; Mr. Sato Fujio and Ms. Sato Hiroko, officers in charge of cooperation activities with Viet Nam at the Moralogy Foundation (Japan).

The program also welcomed speakers from the scientific workshop held earlier, including Dr. Lê Cẩm Nhung, Director of the Japanese Language Education (JLE) Program at Vietnam–Japan University (VNU), and Visiting Researcher at Showa Women’s University; Ms. Nguyễn Thị Mộng Diệp, Japanese language teacher at Tây Sơn Secondary School, Đà Nẵng; and Ms. Dương Thùy Linh, Japanese language specialist and Director of Training and Human Resource Transfer at Haio Education.

On behalf of the Organizing Committee, the event was attended by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ngô Minh Thủy, CLEF Director; Dr. Hoa Ngọc Sơn, Vice President of VNU University of Languages and International Studies; Dr. Ngô Tự Lập, CLEF Chair of the Scientific Council of; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyễn Thị Bích Hà, CLEF Vice Director; Dr. Trần Kiều Huế, Head of the Faculty of Japanese Language and Culture, VNU University of Languages and International Studies; together with representatives of sponsoring and partner organizations, as well as a large audience of music lovers and Japanese language enthusiasts.

The Final Round Judging Panel comprised distinguished education administrators, experts in Japanese language and culture, and renowned musicians: Dr. Ngô Tự Lập, Composer, Chair of the Jury; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ngô Minh Thủy, CLEF Director; Ms. Fujinaga Kaoru, Senior Specialist, The Japan Foundation Center for Cultural Exchange in Viet Nam; Ms. Kurihara Fuchie, Japanese culture specialist; Mr. Nguyễn Lê Tâm, Composer; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyễn Thị Bích Hà, expert in Japanese Language and Culture, CLEF Vice Director and former Head of the Japanese Department at Foreign Trade University; Ms. Giáng Son, Composer, Executive Committee Member of the Hanoi Musicians’ Association and former Vice Dean of the Faculty of Music, University of Theatre and Cinema; Mr. Trần Đức Minh, Composer, member of the VOV Orchestra and the Vietnam Musicians’ Association; and Dr. Trần Kiều Huế, Head of the Faculty of Japanese Language and Culture, VNU University of Languages and International Studies.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ngô Minh Thủy delivering the opening remarks..

In her opening remarks, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ngô Minh Thủy, CLEF Director emphasized that the competition is not only an artistic playground but also an educational activity that helps foster a love for the Japanese language and enhance cultural exchange between Viet Nam and Japan among young people.

Dr. Ngô Tự Lập speaking as Chair of the Competition Jury.

Entering the main competition round, 2 out of the 20 shortlisted performances were unable to attend the grand final due to personal reasons. The remaining 18 performances were presented sequentially, leading the audience through a wide range of emotions with familiar and contemporary Japanese songs, from traditional folk melodies to well-loved modern pieces. Contestants from primary school, secondary school, and university levels demonstrated accurate pronunciation, refined musical sensitivity, and confident stage presence, leaving strong impressions on both the judging panel and the audience.

In addition to the contestants’ performances, the program also featured guest exchange performances with Vietnamese and Japanese songs that were adapted into other languages and carefully presented, contributing to a richer artistic atmosphere for the final night.

After a serious and impartial working process by the judging panel, the organizing committee announced the results and held the award ceremony. The first prize was awarded to contestant Lê Minh Khôi (contestant number 05) for his emotionally rich and technically accomplished performance. Two second prizes were awarded to Nguyễn Huyền Linh (contestant number 24) and Phạm Trà Mi (contestant number 46). Three third prizes were presented to Nguyễn Trần Y Băng, Hoàng Nghi Lâm (contestant number 101), and Đào Nguyễn Hà Ảnh (contestant number 07). The remaining contestants received joint fourth prizes, recognizing their efforts and the overall consistent quality of the final-round performances.

In addition to the professional awards, the “most favorite performance” award, voted by the audience on the official YouTube and Facebook channels of CLEF Institute, was given to the performance by Vân Ảnh and Hà Chi (contestant number 94), demonstrating the strong outreach of the competition on digital media platforms.

The program concluded with closing remarks from representatives of the organizing committee and the judging panel, followed by a commemorative photo session in a solemn, warm, and joyful atmosphere.