Japan should make English its second official language.
「日本は、英語を第2公用語にすべきである。」
第1回埼玉いなほカップ・第1全国高校生英語ディベート大会論題)

 


Affirmative Constructive Speech
We of the Saitama JTE “debate boys” Affirmative team strongly believe that Japan should make English its second official language. Let me present our plan first.
Plan
1. Public documents and services by the national and local governments shall be provided both in Japanese and in English
2. Documents and signs at schools shall be provided both in Japanese and in English
3. English will become a compulsory subject in all elementary schools
Adoption of our plan will generate the following two merits.
Merit 1 We will protect the basic human rights of foreign residents in Japan.
a) Analysis (現状分析 (現状ではメリットは得られない))
Foreign residents in Japan now cannot get necessary information to live in Japan, because documents and signs are all written in Japanese, which is a very complicated language for foreigners with three writing systems, especially Kanji are quite hard to learn.
b) Impact (メリットの重要性・深刻さ)
It is very hard for foreign residents to live in Japan, which violates their basic human rights to maintain minimum standards of living.
c) Link (プラン→メリットのつながり、解決力)
We will provide them necessary information in English, so they can have a better life and their rights will be protected.
Merit 2 Students can have better communication skills in English.
a) Analysis (現状分析 (現状ではメリットは得られない))
English education in Japan has not been so successful. This is because it’s too late to start learning English in junior high schools. It is scientifically proven that by the time students reach junior high school they are too old to properly hear English, but young children can hear English better. So it is obviously best to teach children English when they are young.
b) Impact (メリットの重要性・深刻さ)
English is the common language in the world. If students cannot learn to communicate in English, Japan will be left behind in the global community.
c) Link (プラン→メリットのつながり、解決力)
They will start learning English in elementary schools and will be exposed to English more by the documents and signs at school provided in English, which will motivate them to study English harder, and in the end, they can have better communication skills in English.
Therefore we believe that Japan should make English its second official language.

 

 

 

Negative Constructive Speech
We of the Saitama ALT Negative team don’t believe that Japan should make English its second official language, because adoption of their plan will generate the following two serious demerits.
Demerit 1 It will cost the government too much money.
a) Analysis (現状分析 (現状ではデメリットは生じない))
The current system works fine. Japan has the second largest economy in the world, and it has become this without English being a second official language. Due to the recent economic recession, the government has built up a large deficit and it simply cannot afford to spend more money on needless things such as making English an official language.
b) Link (プラン→デメリットのつながり、問題発生)
The affirmative side wishes all public documents to be provided in both English and Japanese. This seems like a remarkable waste of money. Secondly and more importantly they want to provide all services in both English and Japanese. This would prove impossible. They have to educate all government employees and public servants to speak English. Of course, getting all of them to become fluent in English needs a large amount of money. Lastly, they want to make English a compulsory subject at all elementary schools and this will cost the government even more money in teachers’ wages and teacher training.
c) Impact (デメリットの重要性・深刻さ)
The impact of the affirmative plan will be to worsen the Japanese economy. It will waste a vast amount of money in translation and teaching and provide no real benefit.
Demerit 2 Japanese culture and language will be lost. 
a) Analysis (現状分析 (現状ではデメリットは生じない))
Japan has a rich cultural heritage and a distinct language, unique in the way that it has 3 writing systems.
b) Link (プラン→デメリットのつながり、問題発生)
If children are taught English from elementary school, they may find English easier to master than Japanese because of the complexity of the Japanese language. English is the world’s most popular language and in time Japan will lose its mother tongue. Culture is closely linked to language, so at the same time Japanese culture will be lost.
c) Impact (デメリットの重要性・深刻さ)
Japanese language, its culture and japan itself will be lost. It will be the 51st states of America. 
Therefore we of the Saitama ALT Negative team never believe that Japan should make English its second official language, even though English is our own native language. Thank you.