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What is Life Insurance?
Write out your thoughts！

The FALIA Essay Competition aims to foster an interest in 
life insurance among international students studying in Japan and to raise their awareness of how it can contribute to solving social issues.
We welcome essays on life insurance related themes from students with diverse cultural backgrounds and academic majors.
The essay theme should resonate with both personal relevance and societal impact. We encourage you to articulate your ideas clearly within the text.
The essay evaluation is not intended solely to measure the applicant’s level of insurance knowledge.
We welcome applicants of all backgrounds, whether you are already studying insurance systems or have never taken an interest in insurance before.
Please take this opportunity to engage in the intellectual challenge of exploring life insurance from your own thoughts.

Theme
Perspectives on Life Insurance

Submission Deadline
September 3rd, 2026, at 10:00 a.m.
Click here to download the leaflet
 

AWARDS

1st Prize        ￥500,000   for one essay

2nd Prize       ￥300,000   for one essay

       3rd Prize        ￥100,000   for several essays

        Effort Award  ￥  50,000   for several essays 


       ※In addition to the above prizes, the Special Prize may be awarded
                to essays that demonstrate outstanding qualities such as
originality or social impact. 
            ※There may be no winner for each prize based on the judging process.
      　

     10 non-prize winners will have a chance to receive a ¥5,000 gift certificate.

Application form

Terms and Conditions

THEME
Perspectives on Life Insurance.

FALIA invites essay submissions from international students across all academic fields on themes related to “Perspectives on Life Insurance”.

Please write your essay based on an understanding of the basic principles and mechanisms of life insurance, while developing your ideas freely and creatively.

Potential topics include the dissemination, social significance, economic impact, technological innovation, and international comparisons of life insurance, as well as the relationship between life insurance and families and society.

SUBMISSION DEADLINE
September 3rd, 2026, at 10:00 a.m.


APPLICANT ELIGIBILITY
1. The competition is open to international students currently living
    and studying in Japan. 
    Your status of residence shall be “Student” and you shall be in an
    undergraduate or graduate program at a Japanese university or
    graduate school at the time of application.
    If you have any questions about your status, please contact us.
    (essay@falia.jp)

2. You must be from countries or regions where FALIA recognizes the
    possibility of contributing to the sound development of the
    insurance business. 
    Please refer to the list of countries and regions which we have
    accepted in the past.
    If your country or region is not on the list, please contact us for
    inquiries. (essay@falia.jp)

3. You must still be with a Japanese university or graduate school
    when we hold the awards ceremony, which you must attend at the
    venue.
    (The awards ceremony is planned to be held in late January 2027.
     Details will be announced at a later time.)
APPLICATION GUIDELINES

1. The essay must be written in English or Japanese.

2. The essay must be original and unpublished work to which the
    applicant holds all rights.

3. Co-authored essays are welcome. All co-authors must meet the
    eligibility requirements. If the essay was co-authored, please
    declare it at the time of application.
    If a co-authored essay is selected for a prize, the prize money shall
    be shared among the co-authors.

4. Each applicant may submit only one essay, whether it was
    individually authored or co-authored.
    Those who applied in previous years are welcome to apply again
    this year.

5. The main text of the essay must not exceed
    5,000 words in English, or 12,000 characters in Japanese.
　 Strict adherence to the limit is required.
    Please note that this limit applies only to the main text, such as
    the introduction,main body, and conclusion.
    The cover page, abstract, figures and tables, footnotes, and
    references are not included in the word count.

6. Each essay must follow the guidelines below. 
    A sample essay format is available for your reference.
    - Page 1 must include the essay title, name of the author, name of
      the Japanese university or graduate school, and the total count of
      words or characters.
　   If the essay was co-authored, please indicate all the co-author's
      name and school.
    - Page 2 must include an abstract of the essay.
    - Page 3 and onward must include the main text, such as
       the introduction, main body, and conclusion. 
       Please also include references appropriately.

    ※Personal information of the applicant(s), such as the name
       and university name, shall appear only on Page 1.
       Please do not include such information on Page 2 or any
       subsequent pages.

7. Please submit your essay as a Word file, by attaching it to the
    Application form. 
    Be sure to fill in all required fields on the Application form.

8. Clearly distinguish between your own opinions and any quotations
    from reference materials.
    When citing from references, you must indicate the source.
    In doing so, please ensure that citations are properly
    formatted according to the method used, such as direct or
    indirect quotations.
    If you use generative AI in writing the essay, please specify how
    they were used and indicate the sections written with the use of AI. 
    (Please also refer to the FAQ below.)
    If any misconduct such as plagiarism is discovered after a prize has
    been awarded, the prize may be revoked and the prize money will
    be required to be reimbursed.

9. Applicants shall grant FALIA a non-exclusive, royalty-free right to
    use all or part of the submitted essays for the purpose of
    publicizing and promoting this Essay Competition, including the
    preparation
    and distribution of printed materials, publication on
    FALIA’s website, and by other appropriate means.
    Applicants shall also permit FALIA to prepare summaries,
    translations, and make editorial modifications to the essays as
    necessary.

10. FALIA may publish the name, nationality, the name of university,
      and other relevant information of the author(s) on our website or
      by other means.

SELECTION COMMITTEE
EVALUATION CRITERIA

                  SELECTION COMMITTEE

【Chair】
Emeritus Professor 
Takau Yoneyama

Hitotsubashi University

Associate Professor 
Jin Abe

Hitotsubashi University

Professor 
Haruko Amano

Japan Women’s University

Professor 
Motokazu Ishizaka

Chuo University

Professor  
Haruyoshi Ito

Aoyama Gakuin University 

  　　　　　　　※Japanese alphabetical order 

小見出し
ここをクリックして表示したいテキストを入力してください。
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EVALUATION CRITERIA

1. The essay must comply with the application guidelines.

2. The evaluation will be based on the following criteria:
 ・Structure(Format/Style)
     - Clarity of theme and/or research topic
     - Structural development and validity of conclusion
     - Analytical strength
     - Use of appropriate methodology/approach
     - Logic and reasoning.
 ・Contents 
     - Originality
     - Academic integrity and validity
     - Other commendable elements
       (such as exceptional insight or significant societal impact)
 ・Technical
  　- Proper citations and referencing
     - Readability and presentation
      (clarity of expression & word choice; language mechanics)

3. Applicants may be interviewed for evaluation purposes.

小見出し

サンプル 太郎
ここをクリックして表示したいテキストを入力してください。テキストは「右寄せ」「中央寄せ」「左寄せ」といった整列方向、「太字」「斜体」「下線」「取り消し線」、「文字サイズ」「文字色」「文字の背景色」など細かく編集することができます。

COMMUNICATION AND ANNOUNCEMENT
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

COMMUNICATION AND ANNOUNCEMENT

Prize winners will be informed directly in December 2026 and publicly announced on our website after the award ceremony. 
The awards ceremony is planned to be held in Tokyo in late January 2027.
Details will be announced at a later time.
※Click here to view "The Awards ceremony for 2025"

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

1. The personal information provided to FALIA by the applicants via
    this competition will be used in accordance with FALIA’s privacy policy.
    For more details on FALIA’s privacy policy, please visit our website.
2. FALIA will cover the necessary domestic transportation expenses
    to attend the awards ceremony.

小見出し

サンプル 太郎
ここをクリックして表示したいテキストを入力してください。テキストは「右寄せ」「中央寄せ」「左寄せ」といった整列方向、「太字」「斜体」「下線」「取り消し線」、「文字サイズ」「文字色」「文字の背景色」など細かく編集することができます。
Application form

Submission process

  • Step1

    Decide on a theme

    What is life insurance?
    What is the life insurance situation in your home country or other places in the world?
    How have you and your family been involved with life insurance?
    Try collecting information and data on various topics related to life insurance. Then decide on the theme you will write about.

    You can check the titles and presentation videos of award-winning essays for the past three years on FALIA’s website.
    You can also find “Tips for Essay Writing” on the website.

  • Step2

    Write your essay

    Summarize your own ideas and assertions in a logical manner based on the information and data you collected. Using statistical analysis techniques you learned at schools may contribute to write a good essay.

    Please also refer to "A sample essay format".

    According to the results of a survey conducted with past award winners, it takes couple weeks to couple months to write the essay.

    If you have any questions, please inquire directly with us via the inquiry form at the bottom of the page, or contact the FALIA Essay Competition Team at essay@falia.jp.

  • Step3

    Submit your essay via the Application form

    You can submit your essay by filling out the required fields on the Application form and attaching your essay as a Word file.

    We will notify all applicants of the result of the evaluation by mail by around December 10, 2026.
    If you change your address before the notification, please be sure to inform FALIA of your new address.

  • ここをクリックして表示したいテキストを入力してください。

Frequently Asked Questions

実際の公開ページでは回答部分が閉じた状態で表示されます。

  • Q1.   

     My home country is not on the list of “Countries and regions FALIA have accepted in the past”.
    Am I eligible to apply?

    A1.

    If your country or region is not on the list of “Countries and regions FALIA have accepted in the past”, please contact us to confirm your eligibility. (FALIA Essay Competition Group, essay@falia.jp)

    You must be from countries or regions where FALIA recognizes the possibility of contributing to the sound development of the insurance business.

    FALIA aims to enlighten and disseminate a sound insurance philosophy through education, guidance, and support activities. Our goal is to widely contribute to the sound development of insurance industry worldwide.
    Based on this, eligibility to apply for this competition is limited to certain countries and regions.

  • Q2. 

     I do not know what theme to choose for the essay.

    A2.

    The theme of the essay shall be related to Perspective of Life Insurance. We encourage you to choose a theme that has social significance and is based on issues familiar to you, keeping in mind how life insurance can contribute to solving social issues.
    A deep knowledge of insurance is not necessarily required.  Essays from students who have never studied insurance before are also welcome.

    On our foundation's website, you can find the titles of essays from the past three years under 'Prize Winner Announcement' Videos from Award Winners' Presentations for the past three years are also available.

    Please also refer to the tips for essay-writing.

  • Q3. 

    Is there a specific template designated by FALIA for writing the essay?


    A3.

    There is no designated template. Please follow the instruction in the SUBMISSION GUIDELINES.
    Please also refer to the “Sample Essay Structure”.

    We recommend submitting the essays in the following format. 
       >English essays: Double spaced, 12-point font size
       >Japanese essays: 10.5-point font size, 36 lines of 40 characters each per page.

    It is advisable to refer to standard formats such as the "APA style."

  • Q4.

    Are the title page, abstract, table of contents, and references included in the total word/character count?
    How about figures and graphs?
    If the essay exceeds the word/character limit, will it still be accepted?


    A4.

    The title page, abstract, table of contents, and references are not included in the word/character count.
    Figures and graphs are also not included in the word/character count.

    However, the main content of the essay shall be primarily composed of written text.
    Please use tables, figures and graphs to supplement the main body of the paper.

    The essay must not exceed 5,000 words in English, or 12,000 characters in Japanese.

    If your essay exceeds this limit, it may be disqualified from evaluation.

    Please be sure to show the total number of words/characters on Page 1.

  • Q5.  

    Do I need to indicate references and citations?


    A5.

    Yes, all references and citations must be clearly indicated. Improper or incorrect indication may be considered plagiarism. 　
    This applies not only to published essays and books but also to information from the internet.
    If you use generative AI, please verify its content with reliable sources and clearly state how the AI was used along with the sources you referred to.

    Submitted essays will be checked by plagiarism detection application and other methods.
    If any misconduct such as plagiarism is discovered after the prize was awarded, we may revoke the prize and request the return of the prize money.

    If you are unsure how to indicate references and citations, we recommend referring to a commonly used style such as the APA format.

  • Q6. 

    Is it possible to submit an essay co-authored by a group?

    A6.

    Yes, co-authored essays are welcome. Please declare that the essay is co-authored at the time of application.
    Please note that all co-authors must meet the eligibility requirements.

    Each co-author must understand the Terms and Conditions of the essay and apply from the Application form by the deadline, and submit the same essay.
    The essay submitted by the representative of co-authors will be considered valid.
    Please also describe the roles among the co-authors in the form.

    If a co-authored essay is awarded a prize, the prize money shall be shared among the co-authors.

  • Q7.

    Why do I have to write the name of my supervising professor or advisor who supervised my essay in the application form?

    A7.

    If you are selected as the award winner, such person will be invited to the award ceremony as a guest, in addition to yourself. If no name is on the form, other university-related individual, such as the seminar class advisor or staff members from the international student office, will be invited as a guest.

    If the invited guest needs to travel by airline or Shinkansen, or needs accommodation to attend the award ceremony, FALIA will cover such expenses.

  • Q8. 

    Do I have to attend the award ceremony if I become a prize winner?

    A8.

    Yes, all prize winners are required to attend the awards ceremony in person at the venue.
    The awards ceremony is planned to be held in Tokyo in late January 2027.
    Details will be announced at a later time.
    If you cannot attend the award ceremony, you may not be eligible for the award. 

    The domestic transportation costs within Japan (such as airline, Shinkansen, and local trains) and accommodation expenses necessary for attending the award ceremony will be covered by FALIA.

  • Q9.

    If I am selected as a prize winner, what procedures will be required?

    A9.

    If you are selected as a nominee for one of the prizes after the evaluation process, you must submit the following documents for the verification of your eligibility.
    FALIA will directly contact those nominees sometime between mid-November and early December.     

    - Student Registration Certificate (original copy)
    - Copy of Residence Card (both sides)
    - Written Oath and Consent Form
    - Prize money bank account information
    - Copy of My Number Card
    - Any other documents deemed necessary by FALIA

  • Q10.

    When will the evaluation results be announced?

    A10.

    We will notify all applicants of the result of the evaluation by mail by around December10 , 2026.
    If you do not receive the notification by that date, please contact us for confirmation.(essay@falia.jp)
    If you change your address before the notification, please be sure to inform FALIA of your new address.



  • ここをクリックして表示したいテキストを入力してください。

    ここをクリックして表示したいテキストを入力してください。テキストは「右寄せ」「中央寄せ」「左寄せ」といった整列方向、「太字」「斜体」「下線」「取り消し線」、「文字サイズ」「文字色」「文字の背景色」など細かく編集することができます。
2025
Presentation Video of the Winners
2025
Awards Ceremony
2025
Winners' Voice ; 1st and 2nd Prize
ボタン
Eligibility
FAQ
Tips for writing
list of the countries
and regions
Download
the leaflet
Download
the brochure
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Inquiries

If you have any questions or concerns about the FALIA Essay Contest, please contact us using the inquiry form below.

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On the consent to our privacy policy, please send your inquiry.
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FALIA
The Foundation for the Advancement of Life & Insurance Around the world
［Public Interest Incorporated Foundation］ 
BELISTA Tower Higashi-Totsuka 401, 91-1, Kawakami-cho,
Totsuka-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa 244-0805, Japan
Phone  : +81-45-827-2672