Awards Ceremony Held for 35th Central Contest for Book Report Drawings (February 2024)

The awards ceremony for the 35th Central Contest for Book Report Drawings* was held at the Josuikaikan Hall in Chiyoda City, Tokyo, on February 29, 2024.

The Central Contest for Book Report Drawings is a competition in which children express themselves by drawing pictures based on their impressions of books they have read. TOPPAN has sponsored the contest for many years. In addition to providing financial support, TOPPAN engages in a wide range of other activities to contribute to the initiative, such as presenting replicas of Japanese-style paintings produced using its printing technologies and providing tours of the Printing Museum, Tokyo, which is operated by TOPPAN Holdings.

In fiscal 2023, students from a total of 5,515 elementary, junior high, and high schools throughout Japan took part in the 35th Central Contest for Book Report Drawings. There were 584,972 entries, of which four received Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology awards, eight received awards for distinction, and 16 received awards for excellence.

The awards ceremony featured a report on the judging process as well as a congratulatory message from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology and comments from some of the award winners. Shinichi Ohkubo, TOPPAN Holdings’ executive vice president & CHRO, also offered congratulations on behalf of the company. A tour of the Printing Museum was then given to 36 award winners and related parties. Participants in the tour learned about the history of printing by seeing valuable items in the museum’s collection, such as one of the Hyakumantō Darani (“One Million Pagodas and Dharani Prayers”), which is thought to be the world’s oldest extant piece of printed matter, and the Suruga-ban Copper Type, which was made on the orders of shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu and is designated as an Important Cultural Property of Japan.

In recognition of the strong links between the Group’s business and society, TOPPAN strengthens mutual understanding by promoting interaction and dialogue with local communities to fulfill its responsibilities as a good corporate citizen. As well as participating in local volunteer initiatives and environmental conservation activities, TOPPAN strengthens its social engagement by collaborating with various organizations, NPOs, and NGOs to advance efforts in such areas as education and support for the arts, culture, and sport.

*Organized by: Japan School Library Association, The Mainichi Newspapers Co., Ltd., and others
Supported by: Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology and others
Sponsored by: TOPPAN Holdings Inc.
Special cooperation: Takenaka Corporation