The Wonders of Fukuoka

KIMONO: Comparison & Alteration

Amazing Japan ~ Japan through the eyes of Japan Exchange Programme Participants ~

Japanese Manga X Anime in Singapore

Let's Talk About Japan ~ Four Lessons from the 2011 Tsunami ~

Spirit of Okinawa ~ The Tastes of its Exotic Charm ~

JCC Cinema 62: Jimami Tofu

JCC Cinema 63 & Talk Session: I Want To Go Home

On 14 February JCC collaborated with NUS Japanese Studies Society (NUS JSS) to hold a traditional Japanese dance workshop over at NUS Utown. This workshop was conducted by Grand Master Naya Reitoku of Reitoku Kai and participants from both NUS and the public were introduced to the history of traditional Japanese as well as dance demonstration of different styles. During the last segment, all participants also get to participant...(Click here to read more)

Chingay 2018

Secondary students of the Japanese School Singapore (Clementi) visited JCC (Japan Creative Centre) on Friday, 2nd February 2018. Deputy Director Mr Kazunori Matsunaga welcomed and introduced to them the functions and activities of JCC and Embassy of Japan in Singapore, as well as the situation of the Japanese community in Singapore. The students also enjoyed ～間～ The MA Project: A joint exhibition by Sachiyo Sharma &...(Click here to view more)

Our Ambassador H.E. Kenji Shinoda had a lunch with Minister Masagos Zulkifli and visited Tampines West Community Club on Saturday, 10 February. They discussed about possible future collaborations between JCC (Japan Creative Centre) and the CC, such as movie screenings and other cultural activities. Do stay tuned for more updates and catch our...(Click here to view more)

On 1 March 2018, 12 students and a teacher from Kinjo Gakuin University visited JCC (Japan Creative Centre). They were greeted by Third Secretary Ms Chihiro Ono, who gave them an introduction to Singapore and the functions of the Embassy of Japan in Singapore. Ms Ono also introduced them to the activities of JCC, and shared a video with them of the SJ50 Matsuri which was organised in 2016 to celebrate 50 years of diplomatic relations...(Click here to view more)

Post-Trip Report JENESYS 2017 By Ms Chan Yi En, Claire

In December 2017, I was given the opportunity to engage in the Japan-East Asia Network of Exchange for Students and Youths (JENESYS) programme. I am honoured to be part of the third batch of Singaporeans to participate in this programme, and have learnt much about Japan and its culture through the course of one week. I will categorise my learnings into three...(Click here to read more)

Science and Technology Connecting People By Ms Chon Hui Min

Do you have any comments on the Featured Article(s)? Kindly download our Feedback Form and email us the completed form to: jcc@sn.mofa.go.jp

Hina Matsuri

Laser Link Communications Technology and Kibo Cooperative Research Agreement by JAXA, Sony CSL and Sony

National Research and Development Agency Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (hereafter known as JAXA, President: Naoki Okumura), Sony Computer Science Laboratories, Inc. (hereafter known as Sony CSL, President and Chief Executive Officer: Hiroaki Kitano) and Sony Corporation (hereafter known as Sony: President and Chief Executive Officer: Kazuo Hirai) made a cooperative research agreement with respect to conducting the on-orbit demonstrations of laser communications system. This research to be executed in the Kibo module on the...(Click to read more)

ISEF2 Side Events, Y-ISEF and I-ISEF

Official side events to the Second International Space Exploration Forum (ISEF2), to be held on March 3, 2018. Y-ISEF, organized by Ministry of Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), is for young professionals and I-ISEF, organized by the Cabinet Office, MEXT, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and JAXA is for industries...(Click to read more)

Shiseido Conducts Joint Research on Stress in Closed-off Environment Simulating the International Space Station (ISS)

Shiseido Company, Limited ("Shiseido") and National Research and Development Agency Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) have conducted a joint research using a closed-off chamber environment training facility ("the isolation chamber") in JAXA's Tsukuba Space Center and observed a disruption in the circadian rhythm of salivary stress hormone (cortisol) and an increased distortion in facial expression during the stay in the isolation chamber...(Click to read more)

Deep-brain exploration with nanomaterial

You can’t peer very far down into a well or below the surface of the ocean before things go dark—light does not penetrate to such depths. Though the brain is far from bottomless, neuroscientists face the same lack of light when they try to study living deep-brain structures. This is especially frustrating given that optogenetics, a method for manipulating genetically tagged brain cells with light, has exploded in popularity over the past decade. “Optogenetics has been a revolutionary tool for controlling neurons...(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)

Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED) is pleased to announce a call for proposals for FY 2018 e-ASIA Joint Research Program (e-ASIA JRP) in “Health Research: Infectious Diseases, Cancer Research”. research area. The e-ASIA Joint Research Program (hereinafter referred to as the “e-ASIA JRP”) aims to develop a vibrant and collaborative research community in Science and Technology, to promote innovation in the East Asian region, and to contribute to the region’s economic development. (Click here to read more)

The National Cancer Center, Kyoto University, RIKEN, the Francis Crick Institute and other institutions today announced elucidation of a novel mechanism underlying acquired resistance to RET tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) in lung cancer. Resistance to vandetanib, a type I RET kinase inhibitor, developed in a patient with metastatic LADCs with RET fusion that initially exhibited a response to treatment. The resistant tumor acquired a secondary mutation resulting in a serine-to-phenylalanine substitution at codon 904 in the activation loop of the RET kinase domain. The S904F mutation confers resistance to vandetanib by increasing the ATP affinity and autophosphorylation activity of RET kinase. A reduced interaction with drug is also observed for the S904F mutant by thermal shift assay, supported by molecular dynamics simulation. A crystal structure of the S904F mutant reveals a small hydrophobic core around F904 likely to enhance basal kinase activity by stabilizing an active conformer. Our findings indicate that missense mutations in the activation loop of the kinase domain are able to increase kinase activity and confer drug resistance through allosteric effects...(Click here to read more)

Very long-chain lipids in the most superficial layer of the tear film cause severe dry eye disease when they were shortened in mice — a result that could help develop new drugs for the disease. The research team led by Akio Kihara of Hokkaido University created mice whose Elovl1 gene, which encodes an enzyme that elongates fatty acid chains, was deleted from everywhere but the skin, knowing that knocking out the gene in the skin is lethal. The team observed that when young, the knockout mice blinked frequently and exhibited signs of dry eye disease, such as increased water evaporation from the tear film. After five months, many of the mice developed cloudy corneas...(Click here to read more)

Singapore A*STAR (Agency for Science, Technology and Research) with whom AMED signed the Memorandum of Cooperation is offering various scholarships such as:

"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 2017-2018" 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 2018 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 2017 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