Soroban National Competition 2026
2026/10/9
National Soroban Competition 2026 held on Wednesday, 7th of October. His Excellency Mr. INAGAKI Hisao, Ambassador of Japan to Tonga and Hon. Dr. Mo’ale ‘Otunuku, Tonga’s Minister for Education and Training, applauded the outstanding performance from the young competitors.
Over 350 soroban students from across the Kingdom, including the outer islands of Vava’u, Ha’apai, and ‘Eua, showcased their soroban skill while competing against each other by district. Participants competed in advanced calculation contests involving not only addition and subtraction but also multiplication and division, rapid calculations of numbers displayed on a screen, and relay competitions that tested both the speed and accuracy of teams’ calculations.
H.E. Mr. INAGAKI encouraged the soroban students emphasizing that the knowledge of soroban sharpens minds, and strengthened power of concentration. “Soroban is a unique and useful tool for mathematics. I am grateful to all of you for having the courage to showcase your skill in the field of soroban. You are junior Ambassadors of Japan in the field of Education.”
Hon. Dr. Mo’ale ‘Otunuku, in his address appreciated the collaboration of the Government of Japan and Tonga’s Ministry of Education through soroban, which have enriched children’s lives. “The two pillars of learning, is mathematics and reading,” he stated and he encouraged competitors that learning soroban will equipped students well from primary before entering college.
Tongatapu Eastern 1 team won the best overall in the competition, Vava’u soroban team came second, and in third place was Tongatapu Western team. Top three students of each category were also awarded prizes for all the levels of class 3, 4, 5 and 6. Sponsorships this year included the generous donation from Toyota Tsusho Cooperation and Asco Motors Tonga.
Over 350 soroban students from across the Kingdom, including the outer islands of Vava’u, Ha’apai, and ‘Eua, showcased their soroban skill while competing against each other by district. Participants competed in advanced calculation contests involving not only addition and subtraction but also multiplication and division, rapid calculations of numbers displayed on a screen, and relay competitions that tested both the speed and accuracy of teams’ calculations.
H.E. Mr. INAGAKI encouraged the soroban students emphasizing that the knowledge of soroban sharpens minds, and strengthened power of concentration. “Soroban is a unique and useful tool for mathematics. I am grateful to all of you for having the courage to showcase your skill in the field of soroban. You are junior Ambassadors of Japan in the field of Education.”
Hon. Dr. Mo’ale ‘Otunuku, in his address appreciated the collaboration of the Government of Japan and Tonga’s Ministry of Education through soroban, which have enriched children’s lives. “The two pillars of learning, is mathematics and reading,” he stated and he encouraged competitors that learning soroban will equipped students well from primary before entering college.
Tongatapu Eastern 1 team won the best overall in the competition, Vava’u soroban team came second, and in third place was Tongatapu Western team. Top three students of each category were also awarded prizes for all the levels of class 3, 4, 5 and 6. Sponsorships this year included the generous donation from Toyota Tsusho Cooperation and Asco Motors Tonga.
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