March is a month of departures in Japan. Schools hold graduation ceremonies, sending off students to their next stage in life and government offices closes its fiscal year. In addition, with a heavy heart, I have to share that our Ambassador Haruhisa Takeuchi is leaving Singapore for Japan after his much devoted diplomatic service for 2 years and 5 months here.  On behalf of all our staff at JCC, I would like you, our readers and friends of JCC, to join me in bidding farewell to our Ambassador...(Click here to read more)

The Embassy of Japan and CLAIR Singapore hosted a reception for the new returnees of the JET Programme at JCC (Japan Creative Centre) on 2 February 2016. His Excellency Ambassador Haruhisa Takeuchi, Mr Kenjiro Hashimoto, Director of CLAIR Singapore, Ms Yeo Yi Hua, President of JET Alumni Association Singapore and distinguished guests from various Japanese-related organisations in Singapore...
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On Friday, 19th February 2016 we had the pleasure to host a commemorative event to mark the 5th Anniversary of the 3.11 Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami. The showcase entitled, ‘OYAKO: PRESENT TO THE FUTURE, a parent-and-child photography exhibition’ is created by professional photographer Bruce Osborn.,...
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With our ongoing ‘OYAKO: PRESENT TO THE FUTURE, a parent-and-child photography exhibition’ by Bruce Osborn, we held an exclusive in-house photo shoot on Saturday, 20th February 2016. As per the subject Oyako, which means parent and child, we invited 14 local parent and child couples to join for the event....(Click here to read more)

All male Japanese dance troupe the Condors held workshops at Lasalle College of the Arts and at Temasek Polytechnic on Thursday 25th and Friday, 26th February 2016 respectively. These workshops were led by Mr Ryohei Kondo and Mr Kojiro Yamamoto. Many students learnt unique quirky movements from them..(Click here to read more)

Performance by Condors(The Condors @ TP) was held at Temasek Polytechnic on 27 April, and was attended by overwhelming guests including the Ambassador of Japan to Singapore HE Takeuchi Haruhisa, Non-Resident Ambassador of Singapore to Oman, His Excellency Mr. Teng Theng Dar, and the Principal and CEO for Temasek Polytechnic, Mr. Boo Keng Hua...(Click here to read more)

The Sunstar Foundation founded in Japan, together with the Joslin Diabetes Center, USA – the world’s largest diabetes research organization held its first JSDEI(Joslin-Sunstar Diabetes Education Initiatives) symposium in Singapore at Swissotel the Stamford. Focusing on the latest cutting-edge research on oral and systemic health, the “Diabetes, Oral Health & Nutrition” symposium including doctors, dentists, nutritionists, pharmacists, nurses, dental hygienists, and researchers gathered from across Asia to Singapore which has the second-highest proportion of diabetics among developed nations.

Focusing on the latest cutting-edge research on oral and systemic health, the “Diabetes, Oral Health & Nutrition” seminar was held to exchange scientific findings on the inter-relationships between diabetes and periodontitis and possible prevention, treatment and cure of these disease burdens. There is a high association between diabetes and periodontal disease. Treatment of periodontal disease may also have the potential to affect blood glucose control and contribute to the progression of diabetes. Healthy diet and lifestyle also affects them. Diabetes can be a terrifying disease because if left untreated, it can lead to blindness, the need for artificial dialysis or an amputation due to various complications, which also includes periodontal disease.

Students from Nippon Sport Science University gave a demonstration of Japanese martial arts and traditional performing arts at Singapore Japanese School Changi Campus on 13th February 2016. Ambassador Takeuchi was also present to share the SJ50 with them..(Click here to view more)

On 11 March 2011, a massive earthquake tore through Japan’s north-eastern coast, triggering a tsunami up to an estimated 40m high, which travelled up to 10km inland. The people were left with their loved ones missing, homes destroyed and cities in rubble..(Click here to read more)

A group of students from Kashiwa Nittai High School, Chiba Prefecture visited the Embassy of Japan in Singapore on 1 February 2016.
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On 19 February, Mr. Riku MIYAMOTO, Mayor of Kaga City Ishikawa Prefecture, visited the Oyako Exhibition by Mr. Bruce Osborn here at JCC...(Click here to read more)

On 22nd February 2016, Powerful ladies from Kyushu visited JCC today. Women's Festival 2016 in Singapore: Kyushu Women's Network (和 Harmony, 愛 Affection, 絆 Bonds) will be held at the Japanese Association, Singapore on 12 - 13 March for sharing Japanese Culture and Cultural Exchange! Addmission is free and all of you are welcome to join them.. (Click here to read more)

On 26th February 2016, Mr.Shigeharu KATO, Executive Director, RIKEN, called on HE Ambassador Haruhisa Takeuchi and they discussed about the science & technology cooperation between Japan and Singapore through RIKEN. .. (Click here to read more)

Sustainable Rural Economies for the Future of Rural Japan
By Mr Tan Szue Hann

Very often, in the rapid urbanisation of cities, little thought is put towards the preservation of centuries-old cultural heritage, in favour for urban development and boosting the nation’s economy. Singapore, in its rapid urbanisation from the 1960s to 2000s, had razed down numerous heritage buildings. While this was perhaps necessary to house a burgeoning population, Singapore did realise that there is indeed value in keeping its heritage, and had pushed for conservation and adaptation of heritage buildings from the early 2000s. It is a valuable lesson that can be applied to the many rapidly-urbanising cities and countries in Asia – establishing equilibrium between urban development, economic gain, and preservation of our cultural heritage. ...(Click to read more)

SJ50 Matsuri in Singapore

In October, SJ50 Matsuri will be held in Singapore. Japanese Creativity and Tradition awaits you at our main event- SJ50 Matsuri. Be part of this unforgettable festival by joining us as a sponsor, exhibitor or performer. Its your chance to reach out to 100,000 lovers of Japan.GET INVOLVED. MAKE THE MATSURI EVEN GREATER
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Japanese Cultural Fact for March

Hinamatsuri

March 3 is Hina Matsuri (Doll Festival or Girls' Festival) when people pray for the happiness and healthy growth of girls. Families with young daughters mark this day by setting up a display of dolls inside the house. They offer rice crackers and other food to the dolls.
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H-IIA F30 with the "ASTRO-H" onboard launched at 5:45 p.m. on Feb 17th, 2016 from the Tanegashima Space Center. The rocket flew smoothly, and, at about 14 minutes after liftoff, "ASTRO-H" was separated from the H-IIA F30. ASTRO-H is the eye to study the hot and energetic universe. Therefore we name ASTRO-H, "Hitomi". The word "Hitomi".generally means "eye", and specifically the pupil, or entrance window of the eye – the aperture!... (Click to read more)

JAXA is inviting you to have your message travel on the ERG satellite to explore the Van Allen belts, which is the last frontier in space around the Earth.Please send your support message to the mission of the “Exploration of energization and Radiation in Geospace” or “ERG”, which is scheduled to be launched in JFY2016. The messages will be printed on an aluminum plate that will be installed on the satellite as part of a balance weight. ...(Click to read more)

Kibo-ABC is a collaborative program established by the Space Environment Utilization Working Group (SEUWG) of APRSAF (Asia-Pacific Regional Space Agency Forum), aiming to promote ISS(International Space Station) /Kibo utilization in the Asia-Pacific region and to share and build on the outcomes of “Kibo” utilization. The objectives of Kibo-ABC include: promotion of Kibo utilization among researchers and engineers in Asian countries, accumulation of experience and enhancement of capacity among participating space agencies through implementation of projects utilizing Kibo, and creation of bilateral cooperation projects on Kibo utilization between member countries including Singapore (Singapore Space and Technology Association (SSTA)) and Japan...(Click to read more)

© RIKEN

REM sleep-the phase of night-time mammalian sleep physiology where dreams occur-has long fascinated scientists, clinicians, philosophers, and artists alike, but the identity of the neurons that control REM sleep, and its function in sleep have been controversial due to a lack of precise genetic methods to study the sleeping brain. Now, in a remarkable demonstration of a recent brain technology, neuroscientists provide the first answers to both questions, identifying a neural circuit in the brain that regulates REM sleep, and showing that REM sleep controls the physiology of the other major sleep phase, called non-REM (NREM) sleep..
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Dendrite arbor morphology is critical for neuron function. This video explains how researchers in Adrian Moore's laboratory at RIKEN BSI found that the activity of centrosomin, used to build the mitotic spindle, is recycled after mitosis in dendrites. Centrosomin shapes the arbor by engaging microtubule nucleation at dendritic Golgi outposts to orient microtubule polarization in nascent branches. The video was kindly produced by Research Square... (Click here to view video)

Kyoto University launched a new project of Japan-ASEAN Science and Technology Innovation Platform: Promotion of Sustainable Development Research (JASTIP) in September 2015. The official opening ceremony for JASTIP project was held at the resident of Japanese Ambassador in Bangkok on 26.Feb.2016. Based on ASTIP project, Japan and ASEAN Region’s will cooperate to strengthen research for sustainable development in the fields of bio-resource and biodiversity, energy – environment, and disaster prevention with Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia.

Hosted and co-organised by the Japan Science and Technology Agency under the theme “Making data sharing work in the era of Open Science” the 7th Research Data Alliance (RDA) Plenary meeting was held in Tokyo, Japan from the 1st to the 3rd of March 2016. Open science is fundamentally community driven and dependent on free knowledge sharing and access to tools and services. As an organisation of volunteers and self-formed collaboration, RDA is committed to promoting “openness” and delivering tangible outputs that improve data sharing across disciplines, technologies, and countries..(Click here to read more)

On 10th July 2015, 30 students form Singapore and China visited RIKEN Nishina Center for Accelerator-Based Science (RNC) as the SAKURA Exchange Program. They learned a lot about Accelerator-Based Science ! The primary mission of Nishina Center is to unravel the mystery of the genesis of the elements by investigating the nature of nuclei and their constituents, elementary particles. The center also aims to explore the potential industrial application of its research on nuclei and elementary particles to agriculture, medicine and other such fields.RIKEN Nishina Center for Accelerator-Based Science (RNC)...(Click here to read more)

Council for Science, Technology and Innovation Cabinet Office published the Report on The 5th Science and Technology Basic Plan (FY2016-2020). The 5th Science and Technology Basic Plan was decided by the Cabinet on 22nd January 2016. (Click here to read more)

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MEXT provides information on Humanities and Social Sciences programs in Japanese National Universities...(Click here to read more),

The Japanese Government launched in October 2013 Tobitate! (Leap for Tomorrow) Study Abroad Initiative, a public-private effort for the future of Japan. This initiative—which hopes to make Japan a nation in which all ambitious youths can go global—offers various opportunities for students to embrace the chance to study abroad.

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