{"id":88119,"date":"2026-05-12T11:31:06","date_gmt":"2026-05-12T02:31:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/?p=88119"},"modified":"2026-05-12T12:22:29","modified_gmt":"2026-05-12T03:22:29","slug":"bridging-in-class-knowledge-to-case-based-application-in-english-waseda-japan-business-case-competition-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/news\/88119","title":{"rendered":"Bridging In-Class Knowledge to Case-Based Application in English: Waseda Japan Business Case Competition 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"

On Saturday, 11th April 2026, Waseda University\u2019s School of Commerce, Global Management Program (GMP)<\/a> hosted the \u201cWaseda Japan Business Case Competition 2026 (WJBCC)\u201d. This was a full-day event held to identify a team of four undergraduate students to represent Japan in the \u201cHSBC\/HKU Asia Pacific Business Case Competition 2026,\u201d sponsored by HSBC, one of the world\u2019s largest banking and financial services organisations with over 150 years of history.<\/p>\n

The competition was conducted in English, which provided students from Japanese universities with the opportunity to prepare and present, utilising a language many of them may need if they were considering a career in international business in the future. Furthermore, Professor Satoshi Nakaide<\/a>, Director of the GMP program at Waseda, envisioned the contest as a platform for undergraduate students to practically apply their knowledge outside the classroom through case studies and teamwork.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

This year, there were six teams of undergraduate students from universities across Japan, namely: the University of Nagasaki, Meiji University, Senshu University, Ritsumeikan University, Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University (APU), and Waseda University. Each team comprised four students from the same university and a coach.<\/p>\n

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About the Competition:<\/u><\/p>\n

In the morning, the competition commenced with greetings from Professor Kazuhiko Yago<\/a><\/u>, from the School of Commerce. The atmosphere was very welcoming. While each team wore suits and spoke quietly among themselves, the room still radiated with curiosity and enthusiasm as they waited for the semi-final to start. Each team had passed the preliminary screening through application processes and was selected to represent their universities in the semi-final round. They were given a case beforehand and were informed to present it to the judges at the event. Then, three teams would proceed to the final round to brainstorm a business case for 2.5 hours before presenting to two judges at the end.<\/p>\n

\"\" \"\" \"\"<\/p>\n

In the semi-final, participants were divided into three designated rooms, each with two judges. A total of six judges were present, including HSBC executives Ms. Ashwini Agashe and Mr. Md Nishat Al Beruni. The presentation lasted for 20 minutes, followed by a 15-minute Q&A session from the judges. During the round, the six teams presented a variety of approaches to the case of how to commercialise a clothing brand.<\/p>\n

Personally, their impassioned pitches and unique ideas were very intriguing. When asked by the judges during Q&A, some teams answered with thorough market research to elaborate on their work. This demonstrated the effort they have put into the work. Since the case was based on a real clothing brand in Hong Kong, it gave contestants a chance to showcase their unique ideas and turn them into something potentially applicable to the brand. Additionally, as part of the younger generation, participants demonstrated their capability to bring fresh ideas that speak to the modern lifestyle to adults in the field.<\/p>\n

Afterwards, a short coffee session was held, during which participants had the chance to interact with the judges and hear from an HR representative from HSBC, the sponsor, to gain a glimpse into the financial industry. The room was filled with eagerness as participants mingled, exchanged ideas with professionals in the field, and received advice and feedback. Near the end, the finalists were narrowed down from six to three teams, followed by a lunch break and final preparation for the finalists.<\/p>\n

Speaking with Contestants:<\/u><\/p>\n

As for those who did not advance to the final round, they were given a tour of Waseda Campus, networked with peers, and shared their thoughts about the experience. As I interviewed some of the contestants, they shared that they were grateful to practise their presentation skills and articulate their ideas clearly to convince the judges. They did not feel nervous to go up and talk to the judges, as the community was very open and welcoming. Many also expressed contentment, saying that it has, more or less, helped foster teamwork. Despite some non-native English speakers finding it challenging to present in English, they also saw it as a rare opportunity to connect with students from other parts of Japan, including Tokyo, Osaka, Nagasaki, and Oita. Even though some contestants did not proceed to the next round, they learned the pragmatic application of business know-how to real-life cases, as well as acquiring connections and building teamwork, alongside practising English presentation skills.<\/p>\n

\"\"\"\"\"\"<\/p>\n

After the two-and-a-half-hour final preparation, the three groups each presented their approaches to the case in the final round. The judges were Ms. Naoko Kurobe and Mr. Jamil Ahmad from HSBC. This time, the case was related to the expansion of a digital banking company in Hong Kong to the Middle East. All the presentations were filled with great ideas and well-thought-out proposals, given the time constraint. The winning team delivered clearly, with strong proposals, and answered the judges\u2019 questions with confidence and sound reasoning. The team from Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University (APU) won the contest and received a subsidy to fly to Hong Kong for the global-level \u201cHSBC\/HKU Asia Pacific Business Case Competition 2026.\u201d<\/p>\n

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My Takeaway as a Waseda Student:<\/u><\/p>\n

One thing I found interesting was that some contestants are non-business students, such as engineering students working on a start-up. Getting to talk to people from various fields is very eye-opening and highlights the range of ideas put forward in the business case competition by contestants with diverse backgrounds.<\/p>\n

As an economics student myself, who is interested in joining competitions like these, be it business case competitions or business pitching competitions, I gained insight into what it is like during the competition. Since English-based contests like these are not as common in Japan, it gave a rare opportunity for English-speaking students to showcase their knowledge. In a globalised world where English proficiency is becoming increasingly essential, I hope that competitions conducted in English, like the WJBCC, become more prevalent in Japan.<\/p>\n

About the Author: Worapishet Napat (Nua):<\/u><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Hi, I am a second-year student from Thailand, majoring in Economics at the School of Political Science and Economics<\/a> (English degree program). I joined as a Student Contributor and have been writing with the Waseda Office of Communications and Public Relations since April 2025, so around a year! I would say I am artistic myself, so I am into illustration, photography, reading mysteries and crime novels, and, of course, writing! I am also working for the Thai Society of Waseda and am part of the Waseda Economic and Finance Forum (WEFF) team, as well as the Waseda Association of Debaters (WAD). To all current students, I hope you enjoy Japan as much as I do. To prospective students or anyone who has read this article up until this point, I hope you get a glimpse of what it is like at Waseda through our articles by the voices of students.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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