Director's message of this month

Happy New Year and Happy SJ60!

Dear Friends of JCC,

Happy New Year! 明けましておめでとうございます。

I hope that everyone feels refreshed after a well-deserved year-end break. Some of you might have visited Japan for sightseeing or to engage in winter sports like skiing or snowboarding and enjoyed your time there. I, too, had the opportunity to return to Japan for a brief period to celebrate the New Year, reuniting with family and friends. The traditional New Year customs, such as eating toshikoshi soba (year-end noodles), osechi ryori (traditional New Year dishes), ozoni (rice cake soup), and hatsumode (first shrine or temple visit of the year), always bring a sense of renewal and fresh beginnings.

As many of you know, 2026 marks a significant milestone: SJ60, the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Singapore and Japan. You might have already seen the official SJ60 logo, which was chosen from among the many entries submitted for the logo competition. It is a beautiful combination of a lion and a cherry blossom, intertwined to form the number 60, which gracefully embodies our enduring bilateral friendship.

As JCC ushers in this significant year of SJ60, you will see the logo more often, as we are preparing a variety of exciting events together with our close partners to celebrate and commemorate this special bilateral milestone. We aim to further showcase Japan's diverse appeal from various perspectives. I look forward to everyone actively joining us in the celebrations!

To receive the latest information about SJ60 events, please follow us on our Facebook and Instagram, as well as the SJ60 Facebook page and Instagram! You may also follow the Embassy of Japan in Singapore on their Facebook page as well as their X account for the latest news and updates from Japan.

Kawabe Akiko
Director, Japan Creative Centre (JCC)

7th January 2026