School choir contests are widely held in Japanese junior high schools. Each class competes by singing a set piece and/or a freely chosen piece, and the rankings are determined by teachers and/or students. Most of the songs are specifically composed for such contests.According to a survey by Hashimoto (2010), 86.5% of junior high schools hold them. A later survey by Nishijima (2026) found that 90% do so, and even during the COVID-19 pandemic the rate of implementation was 73%. However, there is actually no legal basis for holding such contests. This study attempts to answer three research questions through a literature review, questionnaire surveys, and fieldwork: 1) Why has it become so widespread? 2) What do teachers expect from such contests? and 3) What are students’ actual experiences of such contests?Regarding 1), the literature survey revealed two aspects: the influence of the national broadcaster’s contest, and a reaction against it. Because the national broadcaster’s contest has a limit on the number of participants, students must be selected. Early school choir contests in the 1970s were introduced as part of "student guidance and counseling" to encourage “all” students to sing together.Regarding 2), previous research has revealed that teachers expect classroom and school management benefits, such as increased student unity and self-reliance, rather than musical improvement or the enjoyment of singing together.Regarding 3), the survey results revealed that two-thirds of students had a rather positive experience of such contests, while one-third had a rather negative experience (Nishijima 2024). The survey also revealed that a certain number of students feel unable or unwilling to sing outside the context of a contest (Nishijima 2026).As inclusiveness and well-being are becoming key concepts in modern Japanese education, we must reconsider the meaning of school choir contests.