2026 Activity Report Group 1 : Closing Ceremony and Farewell Party

On the afternoon of May 29, 85 high school students—56 from India, 6 from Ghana, 6 from Nigeria, and 6 from South Africa—who were visiting Japan as part of Group 1 of the Sakura Science High School Program (SSHP), attended the closing ceremony marking the conclusion of their one-week program. The ceremony was held at the Tokyo Headquarters Annex of the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) in Chiyoda, Tokyo.

At the ceremony, student representatives from each country took the stage one by one and delivered confident speeches.
　They reflected on the various experiences they had throughout the program, including visits to the University of Tsukuba, JAXA, Kazusa DNA Research Institute, and RIKEN, where they encountered cutting-edge science and technology. They also spoke about their cultural exchange with Japanese high school students at Shibaura Institute of Technology Kashiwa High School and the special lecture by Nobel laureate KAJITA Takaaki, highlighting the programs that had left the strongest impressions.

■High School Student Representing Ghana

I was particularly impressed by the lecture given by Nobel laureate physicist KAJITA Takaaki left a particularly strong impression on me. He guided us into the world of neutrinos and gravitational waves, teaching us that it can take decades to reach the correct answer in research, and that failure is an essential part of the research process itself. The challenges we will face in the future are too great to be solved by any single nation; science has no borders. I have come to understand clearly what I must do when I return to Ghana—because it is always we ourselves who have the power to change the future.

■High School Student Representing India

At JAXA, we learned how astronauts live in space and even had hands-on experiences. At Japanese high schools, we were deeply impressed by the students' discipline and kindness. We also experienced the tea ceremony, which I personally found to be a very calming and meaningful experience. Furthermore, the lecture by Nobel laureate Professor KAJITA Takaaki was extremely valuable for us. The research conducted at RIKEN was both fascinating and astonishing. This program serves as a bridge connecting India and Japan.

■High School Student Representing Nigeria

Our experience in the Sakura Science Program has been both inspiring and unforgettable. We not only learned about Japan's remarkable achievements in science and technology but also experienced the kindness, discipline, culture, and hospitality of its people. As we return to our respective countries, we carry not only knowledge but also renewed motivation—to dream bigger, work harder, and contribute more actively to our societies and the world. We will cherish this wonderful experience for the rest of our lives.

■High School Student Representing South Africa

Through visits to Kazusa DNA Research Institute, the National Museum of Nature and Science, JAXA Tsukuba Space Center, and various universities, we were given the opportunity to experience a much broader world. We built friendships, deepened our knowledge, and created many lasting memories. We are determined to turn what we have learned over the past few days into our strengths for the future. On behalf of all the students and teachers from South Africa, we sincerely thank you for providing us with this opportunity and for your patience and support. We hope to see you again in the near future.

Distinguished guests from various embassies, as well as from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, also delivered warm and encouraging remarks to the students.

Afterwards, certificates of completion for the Sakura Science High School Program were presented to the student representatives of each country by MORIMOTO Shigeo, Executive Director of JST, followed by commemorative photographs.
　When asked, “Would you like to come back to Japan again someday?” all participants responded enthusiastically, “YES!!”

At the farewell party, the students presented traditional dances and poetry readings, enjoying their final moments in Japan while expressing their reluctance to say goodbye to the friends they had made.