STUST recently held the 12th National College and Vocational High School Japanese Storytelling (Kamishibai) Competition. Deng-Maw Lu, President of STUST, and Kazuhiko Ono, Director of Kaohsiung Office of Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association, gave opening speeches. It was not easy for this event to have lasted for 12 years. Despite the pandemic this year, there were still students coming from schools far away in New Taipei, Taichung, Hsinchu, and other regions to participate in the competition. There were 15 groups in the vocational high school group and 8 groups in the college group, with a total of 107 participants.

[Deng-Maw Lu, President of STUST, was delivering a speech at the 12th National College and Vocational High School Japanese Storytelling (Kamishibai) Competition.]

"Looking at pictures and telling stories" is called Kamishibai in Japanese. It is a personal expression art activity that combines pictures and oral expressions with Japanese cultural characteristics. STUST turned it into a storytelling contest encompassing pictures, oral expressions, and sound effect, plus animation effects. The students formed a group of four to six people, each with a different role to play; they had to have the skills to make the characters in the plane pictures fly and move, just like a paper animation for the audience to watch. The contestants enjoyed it and found it very interesting, and they were very happy to be able to participate in the competition.

[Director Kazuhiko Ono of the Kaohsiung Office of the Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association gave a video-recorded speech at the 12th National College and High School Vocational Japanese Storytelling Contest.]

The Japanese stories selected in this competition was authorized and provided by two Japanese companies, Fuji Bakery Group and Nippon Communications Broadcasting. Kazuhiko Ono, Director of the Kaohsiung Office of the Japan Exchange Association, hoped that the contestants would be able to understand the thoughts and things that Japanese cherished through the process of preparing for the competition. It was a great opportunity for students to deepen their understanding of Japanese language and Japanese culture.

[Dong-Rong Wu, Executive Deputy General Manager of Ubeck Technology Co., Ltd., was delivering a speech at the 12th National College and High School Vocational Japanese Reading Stories Contest.]

The contest this year was sponsored by Ubeck Technology Co., Ltd. and Mr. De-Shiu Lin, an alumnus who started his own business in Japan. The College Group was resumed in response to the desire of college students to participate in the competition. According to Dong-Rong Wu, Deputy General Manager of Ubeck Technology, STUST has been a leader in technical education in Southern Taiwan, from which there are many outstanding alumni in the business world. Today's support for the contest is based on his enthusiasm for the cultivation of Japanese talents and his gratitude for the help he had from Japan for his development.

[Gaoyuan University of Science and Technology won first place in College Group of the 12th National Colleges and High School Vocational Japanese Reading and Telling Stories Contest.]

Mei-Hua Deng, Chair of the Department of Applied Japanese at STUST, said that thanks to the financial sponsorship of the business community and department friends, the cultivation of talents from high school to university can continue. STUST belongs to the technical vocational system and attaches great importance to the combination of theory and practice. Therefore, its connection with enterprises is very important. Enterprises can find outstanding talents by participating in STUST’s activities, and students can get employed in advance. This year, it is a good start to receive the sponsorship of Ubeck Technology Co., Ltd. Next year, Yukai Technology will also sponsor the management of this event, hoping that the Japanese Picture and Storytelling Contest will expand its influence in the business world.

[A group photo of the 12th National Junior College and High School Vocational Japanese Reading and Telling Stories Contest.]

Deng-Maw Lu, President of STUST, said that the resumption of the College Group this year can make up for the regret that students were unable to go to Japan for two years due to the impact of the pandemic and the border control. It can also awaken young students to study and practice abroad. In order to provide students with a high-quality environment to study and exercise, STUST has been actively creating a high-quality campus environment in recent years, such as "By the Water" Waterfront Plaza, "Heaven and Earth" Plaza, 3D Gallery, " Fragrant Garden of Books," and many other facilities. He hoped that the contestants and honorable guests could take an easy stroll on the campus during the rest time to change their moods.

[A list of winners of College Group of the 12th National College and High School Vocational Japanese Reading Pictures and Storytelling Contest.

[A list of winners of High School Group of the 12th National College and High School Vocational Japanese Reading Pictures and Storytelling Contest.]