Yoshiki and friends deliver tears, cheers and laughs at NEST 2017
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One of the most eagerly anticipated sessions at NEST 2017 featured Japanese rock legend Yoshiki – and he didn’t disappoint. In addition to giving a stunning piano performance, Yoshiki was joined on stage for a fireside chat by Rakuten Chairman and CEO Mickey Mikitani as well as a surprise guest, former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, who had delivered a keynote speech earlier in the day.
![Moment to savor: Mickey, Yoshiki and former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi snap a selfie on stage at NEST 2017.](https://i0.wp.com/rakuten.today/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/9U1A2344.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&ssl=1)
![Yoshiki delighted audiences with renditions of his compositions "Forever Love" and "Art of Life."](https://i1.wp.com/rakuten.today/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/9U1A1930.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&ssl=1)
!["My dream was to play in Madison Square Garden. I knew it'd take time, but I never stopped dreaming," Yoshiki said.](https://i1.wp.com/rakuten.today/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/9U1A1972.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&ssl=1)
!["Behind each genius there's a lot of painstaking effort and hard work," Mickey Mikitani explained in reference to Yoshiki.](https://i2.wp.com/rakuten.today/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/9U1A2038.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&ssl=1)
!["Japanese culture is becoming even more popular around the world. I can taste Japanese food almost everywhere," Yoshiki said.](https://i0.wp.com/rakuten.today/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/9U1A2064.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&ssl=1)
![Mickey and Yoshiki were joined on stage by former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi.](https://i1.wp.com/rakuten.today/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/9U1A2324.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&ssl=1)
Read more reports on NEST 2017 here.