The Koizumi Shinzo Prize: A National Essay Contest for High School Students

May 26, 2025

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Shinzo Koizumi served as the president of Keio University during the harrowing years spanning the pre- and postwar periods. Today, his name is affectionately remembered by Keio students and alumni alike, particularly for his contributions to athletic development and his famous maxim, "Practice makes the impossible possible." He was also a renowned economist and prolific writer, devoted to liberal ideals and remembered for his eloquent body of work. The Koizumi Shinzo National High School Essay Contest, established ten years after his death, marks its 50th anniversary this year.

Koizumi gives a lecture at the Faculty of Economics (Photo courtesy of the Fukuzawa Memorial Institute for Modern Japanese Studies)

Who Was Shinzo Koizumi?

Portrait of Shinzo Koizumi (Photo courtesy of the Fukuzawa Memorial Institute for Modern Japanese Studies)

Born on May 4, 1888, Shinzo Koizumi was the third son of Nobukichi Koizumi, a respected samurai of the former Kishu Domain and a trusted confidant of Yukichi Fukuzawa, later serving as president of Keio. Nobukichi later became the manager of Yokohama Specie Bank but passed away unexpectedly when Shinzo was only six. Raised in the Fukuzawa household, Shinzo was educated entirely within Keio, excelling as a student-athlete on the university's tennis team. He later became a professor of economics and served as faculty director for the tennis club. He also served as library director before assuming the presidency in 1933, a time marked by growing wartime pressures and one of the most challenging in Keio's history.

In 1949, following the end of the war, Shinzo was appointed educational advisor to Crown Prince Akihito (now Emperor Emeritus), tasked with instructing the young prince in imperial leadership suited to a democratic society. He continued writing prolifically after the war, authoring widely read texts such as his commentaries on Yukichi Fukuzawa and the influential The Common Sense of Anti-Communism. Koizumi passed away on May 11, 1966. His vast legacy as both an economist and writer is preserved in The Complete Works of Shinzo Koizumi, published by Bungeishunju.

A Nationwide Essay Contest Begins
a Decade After Koizumi's Passing

Koizumi was more than an economist—he was also a gifted educator and prolific writer, leaving behind numerous bestsellers. Today, many of Koizumi’s works are accessible to the public, including digital editions of titles like My Literary Reflections, Daily Conduct, and the poignant tribute to his oldest son who was killed in action, Navy Paymaster Lieutenant Shinkichi Koizumi. Within these works, Koizumi's penetrating logic and fair-minded thinking are conveyed with exceptional eloquence and conviction, embodying a true demonstration of the written word's power to move and inspire.

In 1976, ten years after Koizumi's death, the Koizumi Shinzo National High School Essay Contest was established to enhance young people's ability to express themselves through writing. The inaugural judging panel featured Shusaku Endo, an Akutagawa Prize-winning author and Keio alumnus. Over the years, other literary luminaries—also alumni—including Shotaro Yasuoka, Hideo Takubo, and Hiroshi Sakagami have evaluated the essays with great care and rigor.

Shotaro Yasuoka judging the Koizumi Shinzo National High School Essay Contest

Each year, the contest opens for submissions on May 11, the anniversary of Koizumi's death. Initially, entries were handwritten and submitted on a school-by-school basis. But today, students can apply individually via an official online platform.

The contest features three to six varying topics each year. Alongside themes related to Yukichi Fukuzawa, recent contests have addressed urgent social issues such as energy policy, pandemics, and the influence of social media, inviting high school students to engage with the challenges of their generation.

Since its inception, the contest has consistently received essays of exceptionally high caliber, requiring judges to deliberate carefully in selecting just five winning entries. The award ceremony is held annually on January 10, coinciding with the commemoration of Yukichi Fukuzawa's birth.

Keio University's admissions policies across all undergraduate faculties emphasize critical thinking, analytical reasoning, conceptual ability, and expression. Writing a good essay involves reading diverse sources, identifying issues, and crafting demonstrative arguments and is a direct reflection of the Keio spirit of jitsugaku: practical learning and empirical science. Many past winners have gone on to study at Keio, suggesting that the contest serves as a meaningful exercise in academic writing at the university level.

High Schools Across the Nation Compete
in 50th Anniversary of the Contest

(Photo courtesy of the Fukuzawa Memorial Institute for Modern Japanese Studies)

All award-winning essays and commentary from the 49th contest are available in the January issue of Mita Hyoron and on Keio’s official website. We highly encourage readers to explore them. If you know a high school student who may be interested, please encourage them to submit an essay to the contest. Koizumi’s On Reading makes an excellent starting point—it offers thoughtful guidance on what to read and how.

As we begin the new year, we present the President’s Instructions, a set of guiding principles articulated by Koizumi that Keio students are expected to uphold in their daily conduct. These words, once displayed in classrooms across the university, remain a timeless reflection of Keio's philosophy. In the spirit of Koizumi’s enduring guidance, we wish our readers health, curiosity, and fulfillment in the year ahead.