With the aim of fostering closer relationships, on May 14, a welcome party for international students, hosted by President Miyata, was held at Tokyo University of the Arts Castle Dining Room, located on the first floor of the University Hall Building.

With the presence of guests from organizations providing support for international students studying in Japan, this party was attended by both new and continuing international students, as well as university officials including President, Trustee, Vice President, along with other university staff members.

The party began with a welcome speech by the president, who offered warm words of encouragement to international students. Following the president’s speech, a graduate student from Taiwan delivered a speech on behalf of all the international students attending the party. She thanked the guests and staff for the support they provide to international students, and spoke to newly-enrolled international students about the importance of personal connections they make while in Japan.

As the party was warming up with lively conversations, two performances were given by international students. A graduate student from China in the vocal music program sang opera, “Forever Flows the River,” with his powerful voice. Another graduate student from China, who studies creative music and sound, played “Horse Race” on her erhu, the Chinese two-stringed instrument, describing dashing horses. The piano accompaniments for the two performances were also played by international students enrolled at the university.

The party concluded with a Japanese folk song called Furusato (which means hometown in Japanese). Everyone sang the song in chorus, led by a Japanese doctoral student who currently serves as a tutor for international students. The event ended in a great success.