#Programming #Zero-One Grand Slam #Junior Programmers

National Elementary School Programmers Crowned at Zero-One Grand Slam 2025 Finals

On December 7, 2025, the finals of the National Elementary School Programming Contest, the Zero-One Grand Slam 2025, took place at Sunshine City in Ikebukuro. After a fierce competition, the ultimate winner among the young programming talents was determined.

The event was conducted by Shogakukan Incorporated, a member of the Zero-One Grand Slam Executive Committee, which is organized by the Japan Junior Programming Promotion Association. The Zero-One Grand Slam, commonly referred to as 'ZeroG', is a nationwide programming competition designed for elementary school students. It allows them to compete much like children in sports such as baseball or soccer, aiming to be crowned as the top programmer in Japan.

This year, about 1,200 elementary students from across the nation participated. Out of these, 12 elite young programmers emerged victorious from a rigorous selection process, progressing to the finals.

An Intense Showdown among Young Programmers

The climax of the event occurred on December 7, where 12 competitors divided into 4 teams battled it out for the title of the top elementary school programmer in Japan. The audience at the venue, including those armed with handmade cheer gear, was awed by the high level of programming skills exhibited by the contestants.

Special guest judges included Kazuhiro Kobayashi, head of the Robotics Division at Yamaha Motor Co., Masumi Nagatani, Technical Director at Cygames, and Madoka Chiyoda, Cloud Developer Advocate at Microsoft. The presence of industry experts heightened the atmosphere of the event.

High-Stakes Robot Competition: Scramble Battle

The first event, `Scramble Battle`, involved programming self-moving robots to collect colored blocks from the field, where teams competed based on their scores. This year, a strategic twist was added with the introduction of green blocks that acted as