Former Exchange Student Returns to Milton After Nearly 50 Years Away

Milton’s Rotary Club had the honor of welcoming a very special guest this week — Mitsu masa “Mitsu” Nishimura, a former Rotary Youth Exchange student from Japan, who returned to Milton for the first time in 47 years.

Mitsu, who studied at Milton District High School during the 1977-78 school year, was accompanied by his wife Yuka on this emotional journey back to the community he once called home. On Monday, April 28th, the couple attended a Rotary Club meeting, where they were warmly greeted by Rotarians and the now-adult children of the Thompson and McNeill families — two of the local families who hosted Mitsu nearly five decades ago. The gathering was filled with heartfelt reunions, laughter, and memories that bridged the years.

Rotary members Carolyn and Ries guided the Nishimura's on a tour of Milton’s town hall, where they had a special meeting with Mayor Gord Krantz — Canada’s longest-serving mayor — who took office just two years after Mitsu’s exchange year ended. The visit also included a nostalgic stop at Milton District High School, where Mitsu walked the familiar halls of his youth.

Since 1968, Milton’s Rotary Club has supported global connections by sending and hosting over 100 students through its Youth Exchange Program. Mitsu Nishimura’s return is a touching reminder of the lifelong friendships and cultural bridges built through Rotary’s mission of international understanding.

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