ESUJ University Debating Competition
20th ESUJ (2017)
Round 1:
THW give more votes to the poor in elections.
Round 2:
THW allow athletes to express political opinions in the fields and the courts.
Round 3:
THW remove all government subsidies from marriage match-making events.
Quarter Finals:
THW allow people to opt out of the national pension system.
Semi Finals:
TH opposes organized religion.
Grand Final:
Assuming that the technology exists, THW allow prospective parents to genetically modify fetuses to create their “ideal child”.
19th ESUJ (2016)
Round 1:
THW make parental leave mandatory for both parents.
Round 2:
THW privatize basic necessities.
Round 3:
THW make people with unhealthy lifestyles pay more insurance.
Quarter Finals:
THBT priests should report the confessions of serious crimes to the police.
Semi Finals:
THW forbid political parties from disallowing free votes of their politicians.
Grand Final:
THW abolish the retirement age in Japan.
18th ESUJ(2015)
Round 1:
THW introduce grade retention in compulsory education.
Round 2:
Assuming that the love is quantifiable, this House would prohibit couples who score in the bottom 20 percentile from getting married.
Round 3:
This House would shut down universities that constantly produce large number of graduates who fail to get employed (employment includes, but is not limited to; professional career, bar exam, academia).
Round 4:
This House believes that opinion polls do more harm than good for democracy.
Quarter Finals:
This House would not accept impossibility defense.(i.e. a legal defense against a crime which only failed because it was factually/legally impossible to commit)
Semi Finals:
This House would allow states that accept refugees to seize the overseas assets of the states the refugees come from, in order to cover the cost of accepting the refugees.
Grand Final:
This House regrets the decline of communual values in modern society.
17th ESUJ (2014)
Round 1:
This House believes that companies should gain sole ownership of patents for inventions created by its employees.
Round 2:
This House would allow unrecognised states to represent themselves at the Olympics/Paralympics.
Round 3:
This House opposes services which separate women for the purpose of protection. (e.g. women-only cars)
Round 4:
This House would require candidates to pass an aptitude test when running for political office.
Quarter Finals:
This House would forbid citizens of developed countries from purchasing surrogate mothers in developing countries.
Semi Finals:
This House would abolish the statute of limitations.
Final:
This House welcomes the increased social acceptance towards divorce.
16th ESUJ (2013)
R1:
THW take unhealthy lifestyle choices (e.g. smoking, drinking) into account in the allocation of scarce medical resources
R2:
THBT the state has a right to spy on its citizens.
R3:
THBT Japan should be able to exercise its right of collective self defence.
R4:
THW punish sport teams for the racist actions of their players.
QF:
THBT the onus to solve sweatshop labour lies more with the developed countries than with the developing countries.
SF:
TH regrets the rise of nationalism in North East Asia.
GF:
THW abolish capital punishment
15th ESUJ (2012)
R1:
THW impose a 100% inheritance tax.
R2:
THW remove custody rights of parents who deny medical treatment to their children on religious grounds.
R4:
THBT the UN should not use private military corporations in their peacekeeping operations.
QF:
THBT the Japanese government should give more votes to the young.
SF:
THW make the return of cultural artifacts of national importance a prerequisite for new archaeological excavations.
GF:
This House would make democracy a prerequisite for development aid.
14th ESUJ (2011)
R1:
THW ban the “all you can drink” option.
R2:
THW abolish the national pension system.
R3:
THW allow the poor to resort to violence in demonstrating their grievances.
R4:
THBT the western nations should continue to freeze Libyan assets until fair elections are held.
QF:
THBT Japan should give teachers the right not to sing the national anthem.
SF:
THW subsidize minority groups so they can assess social network services.
GF:
THW make language and history tests compulsory for immigrants.
13th ESUJ (2010)
R1:
THBT the fairest tax is the consumption tax.
R2:
THW permit entering households without a search warrant in cases of suspected child abuse.
R4:
THBT Japan should lift the ban on the export of arms.
QF:
THBT removing advanced countries’ trade barriers is more beneficial developing countries than giving them aid.
SF:
THW introduce conscription.
GF:
TH prefers the bicameral system to the unicameral system.
12th ESUJ(2009)
R1:
THW make all highways free.
R2:
THW give civil servants the right to strike.
R3:
THW remove all US military bases from Okinawa.
R4:
THW abolish suspended sentences for white collar crimes.
QF:
THBT evidence obtained through unlawful means should be admissible in court.
SF:
THW give Japanese nationality to all those born in Japan regardless of parents’ status.
GF:
THW abolish the retirement age.
11th ESUJ (2008)
R1:
THW not allow companies to recruit students before their senior year in university.
R2:
THBT development of technology does more harm than good to humanity.
R3:
THBT Least Developed Countries should use their foreign aid to provide primary education for all their children rather than to create elites.
QF:
THBT cultural activities should not rely on government financial aid.
SF:
THBT parents should spank their children.
GF:
THBT taxpayers’ money should not be used to bail out financial institutions.
10th ESUJ (2007)
R1:
THW impose greenhouse gas emission limits on developing countries.
R2:
THBT a three-generation family is better than a nuclear family.
R3:
THBT students in public schools should be placed in classes according to their academic level and achievement.
R4:
THW ban the export of arms to the Middle East.
QF:
THW ban hostile takeovers of all corporations.
SF:
THBT dictatorship is better than weak democracy.
GF:
THW ban civilians from entering foreign con.flict zones.
9th ESUJ (2006)
R1:
THBT cell phones are anti-social.
R2:
THW support a matrilineal emperor.
R3:
THBT the anxiety toward the aging society is over-exaggerated.
R4:
THBT a pre-emptive attack is justi.fiable for national defense.
QF:
THW make corporate donations to charity compulsory.
SF:
THBT the Koizumi Government was bad for Japan.
GF:
THBT cultivating national pride in Japan will lead the nation to a better future.
8th ESUJ (2005)
R1:
THW make voting compulsory in Japan.
R2:
THW welcome more foreign sumo wrestlers.
R3:
THBT the space exploration is a waste of money.
R4:
THBT permanent membership of the United Nations Security Council should be abolished.
QF:
THW support the Prime Minister’s visits to the Yasukuni Shrine.
SF:
THW abolish registration of World Heritage Sites.
GF:
THW introduce English debate in public schools.
7th ESUJ (2004)
R1:
THBT the Internet does more harm than good to children.
R2:
THBT China no longer needs o.fficial development assistance from Japan.
R3:
THW welcome more foreign workers to Japan.
R4:
THW advocate cloning technology.
QF:
THW support free trade agreements in Asia.
GF:
THW amend Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution.
6th ESUJ (2003)
R1:
THBT Japanese baseball players should play abroad.
R2:
THW ban TV commercials of consumer credit companies.
R3:
THW allow surrogacy for profit.
R4:
THBT the United Kingdom should adopt the Euro.
QF:
THW place the public security ahead of individual human rights.
SF:
THBT the United Nations has failed.
GF:
THBT the Japanese Prime Minister should be directly chosen by the electorate.
5th ESUJ (2002)
R1:
TH prefers an early marriage.
R2:
THBT the Japanese Government should not provide economic assistance to North Korea.
R3:
THW reward employees more for their inventions.
R4:
THBT the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions should also be imposed on developing countries.
QF:
THW freeze the further construction of highways in Japan.
SF:
THBT the Japanese Government should support the domestic movie industry.
GF:
THBT weapons of mass destruction are necessary to maintain international security.
4th ESUJ (2001)
R2:
THW allow parents to genetically design their children.
R3:
THBT Japan should assist the U.S. reprisal against the Taliban.
R4:
THBT free trade bene.fits the developing world.
QF:
THBT the postal service should be privatized.
SF:
THBT smokers should pay higher insurance fees.
GF:
THBT a nation’s history textbooks are its own affair.
3rd ESUJ (2000)
R1:
THW classify sumo wrestlers by weight.
R2:
THBT genetically modified foods will save mankind.
R3:
THBT nothing can completely replace bank notes and coins.
R4:
THBT the two Koreas should reunite soon.
QF:
THBT volunteer work should be compulsory in high school.
SF:
THW introduce trial by jury.
GF:
THBT the UN should have its own standing army.
2nd ESUJ (1999)
R1:
THW move the capital function from Tokyo.
R2:
THBT it is your family who really matters not your friends.
R3:
THW introduce mandatory retirement age for politicians.
R4:
THBT humanitarian intervention in the internal con.icts of other nations is justi.able.
QF:
THBT civil servants should be allowed to work for the private sector.
SF:
TH says, “No, thank you.” to nuclear power.
GF:
THBT China is more important to Japan than the U.S.A.
1st ESUJ (1998)
R2:
THBT Japan should possess nuclear weapons.
R3:
THBT the female species is deadlier than the male.
SF:
TH prefers Sega to Shakespeare.
GF:
TH would not teach English in Japanese elementary schools.