News On Japan

GACKT Delivers Unexpected Graduation Gift to Nemuro High Students

Mar 04 (News On Japan) - On March 1st, public high schools across Hokkaido held their graduation ceremonies, but at Nemuro High School, a special surprise awaited the students. Singer GACKT made an unexpected appearance to celebrate the graduates and offer them words of encouragement.

Graduation ceremonies were held at 222 schools across the region, with Nemuro High School sending off 156 graduates. However, as the ceremony neared its conclusion, an unexpected turn of events stunned students and attendees alike.

In the summer of 2024, Nemuro High School faced a major challenge when a mold outbreak during renovation work temporarily rendered the school unusable. To reward the students for overcoming this hardship, Principal Motohiro Matsuda reached out to GACKT, who readily accepted the invitation, leading to this memorable surprise.

After the official ceremony ended, Principal Matsuda took the stage and said, “We want to give our graduates a lasting memory.” He then introduced GACKT, whose sudden appearance sent shockwaves through the crowd of students and over 200 parents.

“I’m GACKT, a friend of Principal Matsuda. I came all the way from Tokyo to cheer you on,” he said, as gasps of disbelief quickly turned into cheers.

“I’d only ever seen him on TV—I couldn’t believe he came to a school in such a remote area.”

“He was someone I always wanted to meet, so this was incredible.”

“This will stay with me forever.”

Students expressed their excitement and appreciation, moved by the unexpected moment.

Closing his speech, GACKT left the graduates with a message: “Dreams are not something you simply see—they are something you make come true. I look forward to your future. Congratulations on your graduation.”

Source: 北海道ニュースUHB

News On Japan
POPULAR NEWS

A 52-year-old newspaper deliveryman was killed in the early hours of July 12th after being attacked by a bear in a residential area of Fukushima Town, Hokkaido.

A hot spring inn in the popular resort area of Niseko, Hokkaido, has been forced to suspend operations at one of its baths after an unauthorized open-air bath was found to have been built near its hot spring source.

A first-generation Hermes Birkin bag has been sold at a Paris auction for approximately 1.47 billion yen, marking the highest price ever paid for a handbag. The winning bidder was a Japanese collector, and the sale was held by Sotheby’s.

The National Police Agency has announced a plan to tighten regulations on converting foreign driver's licenses to Japanese licenses—a process known as "gaimen kirikae"—by no longer allowing short-term visitors such as tourists to apply.

A sudden swarm of dragonflies blanketed the skies over a residential area in Koriyama, Fukushima Prefecture, stunning local residents and prompting reactions ranging from unease to delight.

MEDIA CHANNELS
         

MORE Education NEWS

With Japan’s junior high school entrance season in full swing, attention is turning not just to test content, but to how students and parents should prepare. At Seikou Gakuin Junior High, for example, the Japanese language exam tests precise word usage, with questions such as the correct usage of similar-sounding words like “setsujoku” (to fulfill a humiliation) versus “kutsujoku” (to clear a disgrace). Such nuanced questions demand a refined linguistic sense, often beyond elementary-level knowledge.

What shape will appear from the soft blur of water and pigment? In this video, I use masking fluid and wet-on-wet watercolor techniques to gently build up a painting where a soft afternoon light, blooming roses, and a resting cat by the window slowly emerge from layers of color. (Watercolor by Shibasaki)

An incident involving a Chinese national attempting to take the TOEIC exam on behalf of someone else has led to revelations that over 800 people were involved in similar cheating schemes.

A completely different feel from watercolor—brilliant colors and stunning texture.In this video, Master Harumichi Shibasaki creates a serious piece using acrylic gouache, which will be featured in his upcoming solo exhibition in Shinjuku.  (Watercolor by Shibasaki)

At the Turkmenistan Pavilion near the East Gate, one of the most striking displays isn’t just the golden horses or traditional costumes—but a set of Japanese-language textbooks used in Turkmen schools.

This episode of Sengoku Jidai explores Tokugawa Ieyasu’s rise during Japan’s chaotic Warring States era, focusing on his conquest of Totomi Province, alliance with and betrayal of the Takeda clan, and the climactic Battle of Mikatagahara. (Kings and Generals)

Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested two men, including an executive of a meat distribution company, on suspicion of violating the Unfair Competition Prevention Act by selling imported chicken falsely labeled as domestically produced to a school lunch center. The suspects, including Kenzo Namiki, allegedly sold cheap foreign chicken to the Fuchu City public school lunch center in 2023, falsely labeling it as poultry from Miyazaki Prefecture.

A recent survey by a nonprofit organization providing food assistance to low-income single-parent households has revealed that during summer vacation, when school lunches are unavailable, one in three children in these families eat only two meals or less per day.