The John R. Park Debate Society (the University of Utah Speech and Debate Team) is pleased to host the Japanese Debate Association’s National Team during their tour of the United States. Their tour will include a public debate that, per the request of the Japanese Debaters, will consider the resolution: Resolved: The United States of America should ban the private ownership of firearms.

                What:     “Utah Debates Japan”: A Public Event, featuring The Japanese National Debate Team and The John R. ParkDebate Society
                                                -Presented by the John R. Park Debate Society and the Department of Communication at the University of Utah
                                                -Sponsored by the National Communication Association’s Committee on International Discussion and Debate
                Who:       The Japanese National Debate Team & The University of Utah’s John R. Park Debate Society
                When:    Thursday, March, 3, 2016; 7:00PM – 9:00PM
                Where:   Languages & Communication Building, Room 1110 (LNCO 1110)

In cooperation with the National Communication Association’s Committee for International Discussion and Dialogue, the University of Utah’s John R. Park Debate Society and The Department of Communication will host The Japanese National Debate Team. This year, Masaya Sasaku from the University of Tokyo and Naruhiko Nakano of Mie University will represent the Japanese Debate Association. Masaya is a second-year debater for the University of Tokyo Debating Society. He was recently a semi-finalist at ESUJ national tournament in 2015 and also at the Asian Debate Institute tournament in 2015. Naruhiko is a debater for Mie University E.S.S. As a junior, he earned 1^st place honors from NDAJ X FIDL tournament that decided the strongest team in western Japan, as well as 8^th place honors at the Japanese national debate tournament. The British Debaters will visit Utah from March 2-4, 2016, during their visit they will tour the University of Utah and Salt Lake City.

The centerpiece of their visit is a public debate with the University of Utah’s John R. Park Debate Society. Per the request of the Japanese Debaters, the debate will consider the resolution: Resolved: The United States of America should ban the private ownership of firearms.

The event is free and open to the public.

For additional information, please contact Michael Middleton (m.middleton@utah.edu; 801-581-6454) and visit the John R. Park Debate Society’s website at debate.utah.edu.