Smartphone App Development Contest for Junior and Senior High School Students Nationwide "App Koshien 2014" Finals Held

The winner was Fumiko Yamamoto (1st year, Japan Women's University High School) with her innovative shooting game app "OCTAGON".

On September 28, D2C Inc. held the finals of "App Koshien 2014," a smartphone app development contest for junior high and high school students nationwide. Following presentations by the 10 finalist teams, the winner was decided through rigorous judging: the award went to Fumiko Yamamoto (1st year, Japan Women's University High School) for her innovative shooting game app "OCTAGON."

"App Koshien" is a smartphone app development contest organized by D2C Inc. since 2011 with the aim of discovering and supporting the healthy development of young creators who will lead the next generation. This year marks its fourth iteration. From July 1st to August 31st, the company widely solicited smartphone apps (including those for tablet devices) developed by junior high and high school students nationwide via its official website ( http://www.applikoshien.jp/ ). A total of 805 entries were submitted, significantly exceeding last year's number. Preliminary judging took place at D2C Inc. on September 14th, followed by the final competition on the 28th.

At the finals held at the Miraikan Hall of the National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation, ten teams of junior high and high school app developers gathered to deliver polished public presentations. Five judges active at the forefront of the IT industry evaluated the planning capabilities of the apps developed by the students. They also assessed implementation skills by operating the apps on devices and reviewing source code, selecting the outstanding entries.

The winning entry, "OCTAGON," a novel shooting game app by Fumiko Yamamoto (1st year, Japan Women's University High School), was chosen for its simple controls enabling casual, extended play, and its rich incorporation of Japanese-style illustrations reflecting the developer's design philosophy. The runner-up award went to Katsumi Furuta (2nd year, Hiratsuka Gakuen High School) for his app "Cross Office," which enables presentations connected to a PC. This app facilitates real-time, participatory presentations with viewers, and its implementation system stood out for its exceptional level of completion. Third place went to Yoichiro Matsushima (Gakushuin High School, 2nd year) for his sound-generation app "Melodic Words." Fourth place was awarded to Yuki Ono (Keio High School, 2nd year) for his meeting station search app "Machiawase." Fifth place went to Ayatsuki Hashiba (Aichi Prefectural Handa High School, 2nd year) for her study time support app "STUGUIN."

Moving forward, D2C Inc. will continue to host the "App Koshien" annually as part of its educational initiatives aimed at revitalizing Japan's IT industry, striving for the further proliferation and advancement of smartphone applications.

App Koshien Official Website: www.applikoshien.jp