Noriko Sakai goes to university
Entertainment ( 62 )
TOKYO —
Noriko Sakai, who received a suspended sentence last week on charges of drug use and possession, visited Souzou Gakuen University (The University of Creation; Art, Music & Social Work) in Maebashi, Gunma Prefecture, on Wednesday. Sakai, 38, has enrolled to take classes.
She looked in good health, smiling occasionally. By her side was Sun Music Production Inc President Masahisa Aizawa who is currently giving her advice on how to progress in her dream of working as a caregiver.
A university spokesperson said that Sakai had come to attend orientation that day, and received a tour of the Nakayama and Yachiyo campuses. There are rumors that she would receive credits through distance learning courses, but the university stated that nothing had been decided yet.
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62 Comments
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pathat
Well, at some point quite a bit of hands-on training would be necessary as it is for the rest of the mere mortals who want to work as caregivers.
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neverknow2
Yeah, who wants to be a celebrity.
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pathat
She shouldn't need advice from such people if she is sincere in her stated purpose of becoming a caregiver.
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Hikozaemon
I would have expected she would be more into horticulture, or chemistry...
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Altria
What does a music company president know about caregiving?
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hoserfella
Altria - Nothing. But he knows a little about PR and how suckered in the Japanese public gets. A few pics of her in a nice, conservative dress, studying for something or other will get her off the hook in a few months time. And lo and behold after a few months, she will stop attending classes and go back to acting.
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meloveulongtime
"Altria - Nothing. But he knows a little about PR and how suckered in the Japanese public gets. A few pics of her in a nice, conservative dress, studying for something or other will get her off the hook in a few months time. And lo and behold after a few months, she will stop attending classes and go back to acting."
GREAT POINT!
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GMONEY7
Somewhere between her dream of becoming a good mother and caregiver it seems she got hung up with drug induced orgies.. it happens to the best of them.
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smartacus
She's looking a lot better since she got off the drugs.
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Jizzeez
She never stopped acting. Didn't you see her best ever "apology" performance! Caregiving? She could start with her son. Actually, I think what she did was basically stupid and unhealthy. The tide of global opinion is moving in favor of helping people like her, not making criminals of them.
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Altria
But old people have access to all kinds of awesome drugs!
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Yelnats
Should get a fresh haircut, sun glasses and more dowdy clothes and no one will recognize her.
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terebiko
GMONEY7. drugs yes, orgies were never mentioned. If she's serious, great, bu with the SUN guy with her, it does look like a publicity stunt.
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yokomoc
Did you know it's been her dream for over a month and a half?
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thepro
I think I saw her talent agency boss there with her. Nice publicity this 'going to university' makes on the road to her comeback.
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timorborder
If I was the parent of a child attending this university, I would be rather worried by the prospect of having my children coming into contact with this hardcore convicted felon.
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womanforwomen
Lady, go first repair the damage you have done to your child; see that his education and a decent life is guaranteed. After that you can think about what you want to do with your self. With this publicity stunt, do not ruin the caregiver profession.
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timorborder
So despite giving Sakai the boot, her old production agency is still helping this convicted felon with her personal affairs.
This would be the same entity that organized the teary press conference for her after she was charged (despite having terminated her employment).
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dolphingirl
I agree with all of the posts here.
A. This is obviously just to rebuild a positive public image. B. Can't she make decisions by herself? She supposedly took the drugs 'at the urging of her husband' and now she is taking advice from the president of her music agency. Grow up, woman! C. She should be focused on caring for her son! D. The university said 'nothing has been decided yet' so in other words, she is not going to unviversity yet but merely visiting a university.
timorborder: I never know if you are serious or being sarcastic. Anyway, she is not a felon since she was only convicted of a misdemeanor.
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TSRnow
Did she really get over her addiction? I thought it would take more time, and in a rehab center or something.
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meloveulongtime
IMHO...she was never addicted to drugs...she was just a casual user....BIG difference between addict and casual user. Just like an alchoholic and a social drinker. She used because she wanted to use...not because she needed to use.
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Mittsu
Typical narrow minded reasponse from many of you. She was never addicted, no-one has shown her kid was in any way affected by her doing a bit of toot, of course this is a scam ("dream of being a caregiver"?? Isn't that why we import Philippina's??), she will be pushing some crappy product on terebi again in no time.
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thomyorke
anthony39, good points. Japanese get all freaked out over nothing. She would be way cooler if she just just played the rebel who doesn`t care what people think about her drug use.
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jason6
Don't you people get it? HORTICULTURAL university: she's gonna grow her own!
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tarento
Being a nurse could allow her closer access to the pharmaceuticals.
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Eyeblack
Are their drug problems at Universities?
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Gaijinocchio
Uni students always know where the good dealers are ;)
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thepro
I feel sorry for the poor rookie staff at her talent agency who will be doing her assignments for her
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Junnama
To be honest, I think the media frenzy was over her fleeing arrest for several days and the staggering discrepancy between her image and the reality of who she really is.
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Junnama
I think many folks are projecting their views on drug legalization onto this story. Sakai wasn't villified and got off easy by all accounts. It's fun to watch the blatant image massaging in this story, but she'll be allowed back to work - she has way too many fans to go away...
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Badsey
Sakai is a model to mothers everywhere -so soon the turn-around!
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Junnama
I asked a few folks what they thought of her (I don't think I can fully understand the Noripi thing having not been born and raised here). They told me the whole thing was so unexpected given her sweet/clean image people were shocked by it and it peeled like an onion - layer after layer. It was exposing this that gave the story so much in the way of legs. Even from the begining it had the feeling of mistake followed by redemption - everyone loves Noripi..
Oshio's sleazy rep got him out of the news quickly. Who was shocked that he had a drug incident? Where's the fun in that?
I don't know what to make of it, actually, because I think there's a lot about the story I don't know, but I expect her back in the biz in less than a year.
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MrUSA
She is so hot!
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marushka
i dont get: why shall a person go to university in order to be a caregiver? arent special courses for this?
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Potsu
MrUSA:"She is so hot!"
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WhatMeWorry
She's part of the outer shell that is the Japan façade. You've all said it: just visiting, signing up for distance learning, probably an assistant will actually do the coursework. Such a weird story beginning to end.
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itshay
yaawwwnnnn! Maybe she can get a degree from DeVry to fix my TV with all her stupid stories allover.
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islands
Love those school title names!! Souzou Gakuen university OR University of Creation?? Gambate Noriko chan!
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norinrad21
Good on her
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nightvision
Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.
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syaka
@ nightvision:
I couldn't agree more.
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Foxie
It seems to be very easy getting away with crimes in Japan. Based on that image, many more people will commit crimes. Excellent education!
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usaexpat
Well going to Uni makes it easier to find drugs. In seriousness though what is a producer doing giving advice on being a caregiver. Am I missing something here. Also, won't the income be a bit lower than she's used to?
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Badsey
I hope she hurries up with this degree because my back has been giving me some discomfort and I could really use some Nori-P care.
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Osakadaz
What a rort.The perks of being a 'tarento' here in J-land.I wonder if other people convicted of the same type of crime can now push for the same type of re-education instead of Jail time.I doubt it somehow.
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Badsey
You need to ask for the Nori-P treatment, but being the Poster-Child for drug abuse is not easy. I think the Police are probably looking for another Poster-Child by now. Who will be next?
I do think Nori-P was a good choice. -Even her manager got in on the act. Money to be made for all + drug awareness.
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oberst
what a lovely co-ed !!! Do they have cheerleader squad ?
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cracaphat
She wont last. But the contingency plan is there.Distance learning.Too busy to go to school, eh ?
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nedinjapan
She has heard about drugs being popular in Japanese universities ;-)
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BuddhismTech
Wow! Noriko Sakai certainly looked attractive! But, unfortunately, her nice clothes could not hide her problem. It is still too difficult for her to completely escape her old habit, especially like getting off the illegal drugs which she recently used. If she is not sufficiently determined, her new self will be gradually enticed to return to her old self. Establishing a new goal will probably not be able to save her as a person with a new reputation. Fixing her mistake is a lot harder than it looks, unless she chooses a right path, such as changing her career, from high-profile acting to low-profile nursing.
Is she letting the Japanese media to keep following her until she completes her schooling and get a new job in nursing? I hope not. It is not necessary for Japan and the world to know everything about what is she doing.
Ironically, the Sun Music Production Inc is still with her, despite that the rumor indicated she was fired by her company. Why was President Masahisa Aizawa walking with Noriko Sakai, although that her path was now very different? Real-world nursing and entertainment-world acting don't mix up. Hopefully, everything she is doing is not scripted and designed to reshape Japan in a false way. Is she currently paid to be an underground/concealing actress? I am wondering.
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BuddhismTech
I think that Noriko Sakai is secretly working for the Japanese government. Her job is similar to a secret agent (like a FBI informant in America). She is getting paid to act for the Japanese government to get more Japanese to be interested in nursing, because Japan is suffering a serious nursing shortage and not wanting to hire too many foreigners as Japan's nurses. Quite suspicious.
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rei307
I hope she makes it through all of her curriculums without getting bored!
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anon99
Jesus man. But this going-back-to-school trick is just too suspicious. This school is said to be quite low-ranking, and is plagued by scandals, so why chose this school in the beginning? Sure enough, there are other better-ranked unis that offer the same type of programs...
And why Masahisa was around, and had his crew shadow this damaged woman all the way? What's his role in this very act?
Also, why majoring in nursing/senior welfare/etc.? For the sake of her own redemption, ie. to pay back her senior peers (agent, stepmother, backers etc.) before it's too late??
Definitely something really fishy here. I suspect 893 involvement/arrangement. Already, it has been suggested online that this school may be associated with the Inagawa.
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