Last July, we reported that Yoshiki would be undergoing some emergency surgery on his spine. Well, it appears that the surgery was successful enough. He was seen last Sunday, sporting a neck brace and plaster cast on his left arm, having flown out via helicopter to watch his race team, "Team Yoshiki & Dome Project," compete in the Super GT Series race at Suzuka Circuit in Suzuka City. As if it isn't obvious enough, that's the car pictured above.

In light of his presence at the event, Yoshiki had announced that the disc in his spine would need to be replaced within a few years and that that nerve damage in his arm permanent should it not heal soon enough. If that were to happen, we'd more than likely see the final nail in the coffin for X-Japan. His doctors have even given him strict instructions regarding his drumming when he resumes practice next month. In addition to being told not to raise his arms too high, he was instructed not to twist his body either left or right and not to use anything heavier than a kilogram. That's slightly over 2 pounds for those of you who don't know your metric.

It's also reported that Yoshiki has come to terms with the possible risks involved with his injuries, claiming that should he pass away, a quarter of his assets would go to benefit his long-term fans. As morbid as the thought of him passing might be for me, I think that's kind of sweet of him, don't you?