Nada Junior High School in Kobe, Japan, faced backlash after including Palestinian poems in its recent entrance exam. The poems "What is Home?" by Mosab Abu Toha and "Write My Name" by Zeina Azzam appeared in the reading comprehension section. Both poets welcomed the inclusion but were concerned about the controversy. The school’s vice principal, Masafumi Kuge, said, "Rather than just prepare for entrance exams, students should also take an interest in society around them. That was our intention." Abu Toha, born in Gaza and now living in Syracuse, New York, said he was surprised by the online debate. He added, "If there is any debate, it would be coming from people who do not support the Palestinian people in their struggle for self-determination, for freedom from the Israeli occupation." Abu Toha’s poem reflects memories of home lost due to conflict. He came from a family displaced during the 1948 Nakba and wrote the poem after surviving an Israeli air strike. Zeina Azzam’s poem was inspired by reports of Palestinian parents writing their children’s names on their bodies amid war. The poems aim to humanize Palestinian children and tell their story. Azzam said, "If a Japanese 12-year-old can look at a Palestinian 12-year-old and think of them as a human being just like themselves, then that’s really wonderful." The school stated the poems were part of usual study material, not a political statement. However, social media opinions varied, with some praising the school’s approach and others expressing discomfort over the sensitive themes. The poems are expected to be used in exams for years to come, potentially reaching many students.