The annual JCC (Japan Creative Centre) Advisory Committee Meeting, hosted by His Excellency Ambassador Jun Yamazaki, was held on 3 December 2018 to review the activities of the past year and to discuss the visions and scope of activities for 2019 as part of JCC’s 10th Anniversary. This meeting was attended by His Excellency Ambassador-at-Large Tommy Koh, who has been on the advisory committee since 2011. It was also attended...(Click here to read more)

Communication Impact & Strength of Manga Design - A Talk by Toshihiko Kira, Manga Designers' Lab CEO

The Embassy of Japan in Singapore celebrated His Majesty Emperor Akihito’s 85th Birthday on 6 December at The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore. The Grand Ballroom was filled with 869 distinguished guests who gathered with His Excellency Ambassador Jun Yamazaki and Guest-of-Honour, Singapore’s Minister, Prime Minister’s Office, Second Minister for Finance and Second...(Click here to read more)

Ikebana International Singapore Chapter 135 held their annual Christmas Workshop at JCC (Japan Creative Centre) on 7 December 2018. Participants created their own Ikebana arrangement revolving around the Christmas theme. After Ms Angela Kek, President of Ikebana International Singapore Chapter 135, welcomed everyone, Mr Thomas Thai Mai Van, a floral designer and teacher who flew over from France, led the workshop and also...(Click here to read more)

Japan Creative Centre (JCC) welcomed a full house of guests for the Japanese Sake Seminar on 7 December 2018. Ms Machiko Yamauchi, a representative of vis-à-vis Kobe and secretary general of Japan Gastronomy Club who has earned a Sake Diploma recognised by the Japan Sommelier Association, gave an in-depth talk on the brewing process of sake as well as the vital differences between junmai and ginjo. Afterwards, everyone had the...(Click here to read more)

On 8th December 2018, JCC presented a special programme that combined JCC Cinema with a tourism event by Akita Inu Tourism. Representatives from Akita Inu Tourism flew in from Japan to share with audiences more information about the charms of Akita Prefecture through videos and pamphlets. They also made a special dish, called Kiritampo, using ingredients that they had...(Click here to read more)

A second session of ‘Let’s Talk About Japan’ was held at Japan Creative Centre (JCC) on 10th December 2018, and guests were engaged in an insightful sharing session and discussion about lessons from Japan after the bubble bust in early 1992. Mr Jason Low, a Portfolio Manager in the Public Equities Department of the GIC, was the main speaker and shared his take on the key lessons to be learnt based on his 15 years of investing...(Click here to read more)

ANIME FESTIVAL ASIA 2018

Ikebana Golden Christmas Lunch

My journey with taiko in Singapore By Ms Namiko Sakai

DON DON DON! That is how we describe the sound of the taiko (Japanese Drums). I have been in Singapore for 19 years and this sound is always with me. I feel so happy to know many people enjoy this sound, and that we can contribute to Singapore’s community by doing what we love. We are fortunate to have met many wonderful people who love taiko, as well as other aspects of Japanese culture. I believe that many people in Singapore...(Click here to read more)

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Measuring Greenhouse Gases from Space

Japan spearheaded the initiative to measure global greenhouse gases from space. Launched in2009, GOSAT (later renamed IBUKI) embodies the technology that many considered impossible. Under the Paris Agreement, each country must determine, plan, and report on the contribution that it undertakes to mitigate global warming every 5 years. Along with other space organizations around the world, JAXA supports the implementation of the Agreement by offering satellite data that provides a scientific basis. On October 29, 2018, JAXA launched the second GOSAT, the Greenhouse Gases Observing Satellite-2...(Click to read more)

Evolution of the inner ear: insights from jawless fish

Researchers at the RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics (BDR) and collaborators have described for the first time the development of the hagfish inner ear. Published in the journal Nature, the study provides a new story for inner ear evolution that began with the last common ancestor of modern vertebrates...(Click to read more)

First observation of a square lattice of merons and antimerons

Scientists have, for the first time, observed a square lattice of merons and antimerons—tiny magnetic vortices and antivortices that form in a thin plate of the helical magnet Co8Zn9Mn3. By finely varying a magnetic field applied perpendicularly to the thin plate, the researchers were able to induce a transformation between the square lattice of merons-antimerons and a hexagonal lattice of skyrmions, another form of vortex that is topologically different from merons and antimerons...(Click to read more)

Scientists develop system to rapidly and accurately detect tumor margins during breast cancer surgery

Scientists from the RIKEN Cluster for Pioneering Research (CPR), Osaka University, and collaborators have developed a new rapid and inexpensive way to accurately detect the margins between cancer and non-cancerous tissue during breast surgery. Their system is noteworthy in that it can detect the morphology of the cells, differentiating between cells that are more or less dangerous...(Click to read more)

SAKURA Exchange Program in Science (SSP) by JST

Asia is undergoing a period of dramatic progress. Promoting science and technology is a key engine to materialize a bright future of Asia and it is vitally important to enhance the exchange of Japanese and Asian youths who will play a crucial role in the field of science and technology. Based on this concept, “Japan-Asia Youth Exchange Program in Science” (SAKURA Exchange Program in Science) is the program for enhancing exchanges between Asia and Japan of the youths who will play a crucial role in the future field of science and technology through the close collaboration of industry-academia-government by facilitating short-term visits of competent Asian youths to Japan. (Click here to read more: Website | High School Student Special Course Videos | Pamphlet)

Miraikan is a place where we can understand the things happening in our world today from a scientific point of view, and have discussions while considering the future that awaits us. In addition to exhibitions that provide people with a chance to enjoy hands-on contact with science and technology, Miraikan's colorful line-up of offerings includes experienced based classes, and talks. Visitors can experience the technological progress of today, from simple day-to-day questions, to the latest technologies, the global environment, space exploration and...(Click here to read more: Website | Video)

Since FY2015, Kyoto University has launched “Japan-ASEAN Science, Technology and Innovation Platform (JASTIP): Promotion of Sustainable Development Research” within the framework of the Collaboration Hubs for International Research Program (CHIRP) 2015 funded by the Strategic International Collaborative Research Program (SICORP) of Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST). This project promotes research that can be...(Click to read more)

AMED announces that over 37,000 undiagnosed patients could benefit from one of its flagship programs, called the Initiative on Rare and Undiagnosed Diseases (IRUD). The numbers were estimated by a nationwide field survey in collaboration with family clinics, general hospitals, and national and private university hospitals. Please click here to read more details: https://www.amed.go.jp/en/news/topics/irud-survey_2018.html

AMED enhanced the contents of the website in English including news releases and research results supported by AMED. Recent research results were such as　“Tau imaging detects distinctive distribution of tau pathology in ALS/PDC on the Kii Peninsula” and “Development of MHFA-based 2-h educational program for early intervention in depression among office workers: A single-arm pilot trial”. More research results and news updates will be on: https://www.amed.go.jp/en/index.html

"Student Guide to Japan" is an essential book for international students planning to study in Japan.

(Click to read more: English | Mandarin)

"Scholarships for International Students in Japan 2018-2019" contains details about scholarships provided by various organisations that have responded to a questionnaire survey carried out by JASSO. (Click here to read more)

Our new Student Advisor Ms Regina provides free student counselling for people interested in studying in Japan. The counselling will be held at the Embassy of Japan, 16 Nassim Road, Singapore 258390. No appointment is necessary. Please call 62358855 if you have any queries. There will be no counselling sessions on Embassy holidays. (Click here to read more)

Job Hunting Guide for International Students 2019 was released by Japan Student Service Organisation (JASSO). (Click here to read more)

Japan Student Service Organisation (JASSO) publishes Japan Alumni eNews every month. The contents are as follows:

1. Life in Japan by Photo
2. Alumni News
3. Academic News
4. Business News (Job Hunting)
5. Visit Japan
6. NIPPON Information
7. JASSO News
8. From the Editor

The Examination for Japanese University Admission for International Students (EJU) is used to evaluate whether international students who wish to study at the undergraduate level at universities or other such higher educational institutions in Japan possess the Japanese language skills and the basic academic abilities needed to study at those institutions. (Guidelines for the 2018 EJU | (Click here to read more))

JASSO holds Study in Japan Fairs outside Japan with participation of Japanese universities to provide information on study in Japan to high school students, university students and educators.

Target: High school students, university students and graduate students.
Exhibitors: Japanese universities
(Click here to read more)

Information related to application qualifications, major field of studies, medium of instruction and on-campus scholarships of Japanese graduate schools, universities and junior colleges is available for searching through Excel files posted online. (Click here to read more)

EDU-Port Japan is a public-private, nationwide initiative to proactively disseminate Japanese-style education overseas by providing a platform from which the public and private sectors collaborate in achieving this objective. The platform is supported by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) and many other organizations including NGOs and private businesses.
(Click here to read more)

Since 2014, the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) has been carrying out the Top Global University Project to provide prioritized support to those universities that are leading the internationalization of Japan’s education by launching new programs to encourage and deepen interactions and partnerships with the world’s top universities, reforming personnel and educational systems, enhancing educational systems to help students develop the ability to act globally and accelerating other globalization initiatives. Under the Top Global University Project, 13 universities were selected as Type A (Top Type) universities that are conducting world-leading education and research and 24 universities were selected as Type B (Global Traction Type) universities that are leading the globalization of Japanese society. These 37 universities have been working hard on internationalization and university reform. (Click here to read more)

Top global university project Outline Flyer is as follows: https://tgu.mext.go.jp/en/downloads/pdf/sgu_flier.pdf