Noriko Sakai

Convicted Sakai accepted at university to study welfare

Wednesday 11th November, 06:24 AM JST

MAEBASHI —

Pop idol-turned-actress Noriko Sakai, who was convicted of stimulant drug use and possession, has been accepted at a university in Gunma Prefecture to study welfare, the university said Tuesday. The 38-year-old has passed the entrance examination for the social work department at Souzou Gakuen University (The University of Creation; Art, Music & Social Work) and has already completed admission procedures.

She will not attend classes but will study lessons the university offers through a computer, university officials said. Sakai, who is now out of work, said during her recent trial at the Tokyo District Court that she wanted to study nursing care and promised never to use stimulant drugs again. The court sentenced her to 18 months in prison, suspended for three years, on Monday.

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Latest 15 of 26 Total Comments Show All

m6bob at 12:30 PM JST - 11th November

She has totally demolished my perception of her, especially her 'Aoi Usagi' image. But this step to study welfare is a right one. Now, let us see if she gets into anymore trouble with stimulant drugs.
Jizzeez at 12:36 PM JST - 11th November

Compare her and Kate Moss. (slight fame gap admittedly)
smithinjapan at 12:59 PM JST - 11th November

Geez... and if I apply to the school with a criminal record I would be rejected outright... that is, if I were not already deported and could actually apply. Once again, different status for celebrities and normal people.
notimpressed at 02:27 PM JST - 11th November

Everyone knows that Japan Uni Students have all the herb. No more stimulants, she must be going all natural.
BuddhismTech at 02:34 PM JST - 11th November

I am very impressed and humbled by Noriko Sakai's decision to study nursing care. Hopefully, she will stay away from the illegal drugs forever. The recent picture of Noriko Sakai looks fairly different. She is smart enough to leave the world of entertainment to enter the real world and become an ordinary woman. Maybe she will even consider about changing her name, so no one, especially the media, will follow and bother her. I guess that she is realizing that she does not fit in the entertainment industry anymore. I am very surprised that she is really different from any other Eastern or Western actress who enjoys exploiting the media for her own benefit. I am giving her my big applause. Bravo! She has my full support.
isthistheend at 04:20 PM JST - 11th November

Why not? Who among us can cast the first stone. Give her a second chance. Most college people I knew did FAR more damage to their systems than this woman ever did. But it was considered normal or hip or whatever and just sneezed at as being part of adolescence. As strung up as she got from the media vultures here, I think her punishment and public embarrassment has already fit the crime. Let her go onward! Good luck Nori-P!
dolphingirl at 05:54 PM JST - 11th November

Yay, if this was a sincere and independent decision by Noriko. Boo, if she is just doing this because someone told her it would be good for her public image.
stirfry at 06:26 PM JST - 11th November

or find some useful form of employment.

not too late for a career in 'health massage'
Icantbelieveit at 09:18 PM JST - 11th November

OK, enough already...I couldn't care less what she is doing and I'm sick of even hearing her name. Can we move on to some REAL news now?
borscht at 10:55 PM JST - 11th November

How does one study nursing care, which I assume means taking care of a real human, through online studies? Will there be simulation wherein you move your mouse to turn the invalid over and wash their tush?
knews at 12:55 AM JST - 12th November

Classic! It reminds me of a very funny Japanese movie where one of the businessmen stuck in a military coup in the jungle of some made-up country tells his mates not to worry as he has a black belt in karate. The others ask him if it's true and he says (with all seriousness), "Yes, I got it through a correspondence course"!!
airrunwesker at 01:37 AM JST - 12th November

For the last twenty years, I have yes to get tired of hearing her name.
Ke11iente at 02:52 AM JST - 12th November

Can you be a nurse in Japan if you've had a drug conviction? Here in the states, you can't. Talk about letting the fox guard the hen house...
Badsey at 04:45 AM JST - 12th November

http://www.azbn.gov/documents/discipline/RN-LPN/2004%20RN-LPN%20Discipline%20Action/4th%20Quarter%20RN-LPN%20Discipline%20for%20July%20to%20Sept%202004.pdf

=You can be a RN/LPN if you have a felony drug conviction, however the Board of Nursing will be very critical with you. (Supervision, drug tests etc)
Stranger_in_a_Strange_Land at 04:27 PM JST - 12th November

She's probably just doing it to improve her image. Who cares anyway? This whole thing has gotten way too much press IMO. Someone did an illegal drug. OMG!!! So what? Way to make a big deal out of nothing, Japan, you bunch of children.