JUJU has secured the theme song for the upcoming medical drama "First Cry: Mother-Child Emergency Care Unit," which debuts July 8 on Nippon Television. The new track, "Natsusemi" (Summer Cicada), marks a special collaboration between the acclaimed vocalist and Mizuno Yoshiki of Ikimono Gakari—a longtime creative ambition finally realized.

The mid-tempo ballad blends traditional Japanese sensibilities with emotional depth, drawing from themes central to the drama's narrative. Mizuno penned the composition while KOHDH handled the arrangement. JUJU described the song as capturing "every emotion tied to love—the yearning, tenderness, and longing felt whether giving or receiving affection."

Mizuno reflected on fulfilling his long-held wish to write for JUJU, saying the summer cicada's lingering sound carries an inherent sadness—"a fragrance of life that may not be heard or seen—but JUJU's voice makes us feel it."

The drama stars Manami Higa as the lead, with supporting roles from Satoru Matsushima (Timelesz), Atsuko Maeda, Takashi Okabe, and Miki Maya. It follows an elite mother-child emergency medical team protecting newborn lives at an exclusive hospital.

"Natsusemi" will begin streaming July 8 alongside the drama's premiere, with CD release scheduled for September 2. The single includes three tracks: the title song, a cover of Ikimono Gakari's "SAKURA," and a third unreleased piece. Two versions will be available—a limited edition with DVD/Blu-ray featuring footage from JUJU's October 10, 2018 "15th Anniversary Tour" at Nippon Budokan, and a standard CD-only release.

Higa praised how the composition captured the drama's emotional core, noting how JUJU's gentle delivery paired with Mizuno's lyrics evokes childhood nostalgia while reinforcing the story's central message: life's fragility demands protection.