Kolkata, Oct 31 (IANS): Students learning Japanese can test their skills in the language at the 27th edition of the Japanese Language Speech Contest to be held here Nov 8, a statement said Friday.

"The speech contest is meant to encourage students to express spontaneously their own thoughts in Japanese language.

"A round of questions from the judges will follow after the completion of every individual's speech," said a statement from the Consulate General of Japan in Kolkata.

The event will be hosted by the Indo-Japan Welfare and Cultural Association in south Kolkata.

Students from various Japanese language institutes of eastern India will participate in the contest.

"Winners from the eastern zone will get a chance to participate in the All India Speech Contest to be held in New Delhi. Students winning at the national level may get a grand opportunity to go to Japan," the release said.

The language is spoken by over 126 million people worldwide, with about 124 million of them in Japan and the island group of Okinawa.