Singaporeans in Japan mark nation’s 58th birthday, while navigating challenges living in a foreign land
Some 3,000 Singaporeans currently reside in the land of the rising sun, with half of them living in the capital Tokyo.
Among the Singaporeans living in Japan is Ms Melissa Yap, who regularly navigates her way confidently around her Tokyo suburb on her “mamachari”, a typical bicycle the Japanese use for shopping and running errands.
TOKYO: As Singapore celebrates National Day, the sizeable Singaporean community in Japan have gone out of their way to mark the occasion together.
Some 3,000 Singaporeans reside in the land of the rising sun, with half of them living in its capital Tokyo.
They are making efforts to commemorate Singapore’s 58th birthday, even as they navigate challenges living in a foreign land.
INTEGRATING INTO LOCAL WAY OF LIFE
Among the Singaporeans living in Japan is Ms Melissa Yap, who has resided there for the last six years.
Ms Yap, who works in the hospitality industry, lives in a Tokyo suburb with her husband Mark Namiki and two daughters, five-year-old Maia and one-year-old Mikayla.
Ms Yap told CNA she has fully integrated into the local way of life, regularly navigating her way confidently around on her “mamachari”, a typical bicycle the Japanese use for shopping and running errands.
Her family’s National Day celebration on Aug 2 this year was a low-key event compared to the past few years.
In the last few years, the couple used to celebrate National Day with fellow Singaporeans at their now-closed cafe, which was called Little Merlion.
The address has since been occupied by a Hong Kong cafe.
“We started the restaurant two years ago during COVID. After some time, we realised the location wasn’t working well for us. Also because of our manpower (as) we had our second child,” Ms Yap told CNA.
After considering the factors, Ms Yap and Mr Namiki decided to pivot to a food truck business and do online deliveries, instead of running a physical cafe.
They are now making final preparations for the food truck, which Ms Yap hopes can bring back her old customers, while also welcoming new ones.
LIVING IN JAPAN
The main reason the couple came to Japan in the first place was not to run a food and beverage business, they said.
Instead, Mr Namiki, who is half Japanese, wanted to experience living in Japan even if just for a short period of time.
“I’ve never ever lived in Japan. I grew up in Singapore. Singapore is home. But I’ve always wondered what it was like to live in Japan, so we talked about it, then (decided) okay let’s just try for one year,” he said.
“I enjoyed it and I stayed on. Of course, COVID had a little bit to do with it,” added Mr Namiki, who started a new job at a five-star hotel in Tokyo last month.
The couple opened Little Merlion during the pandemic, in the hopes it would become a gathering point for Singaporeans who were unable to return home due to border closures, while also introducing Singaporean cuisine to local Japanese who could not travel overseas.
Ms Yap said she knows what it feels like to be away from home for a prolonged period of time.
“Singapore is home to me. My family and friends are there. With two kids, family support is very important,” she said.
She added that she misses certain Singaporean food that is too troublesome or complicated to make, such as popiah and chendol, along with speaking Singlish.
Ms Lizzie Eng, another Singaporean who has been working in the finance sector in Tokyo since 2021, joined Ms Yap and her family's National Day feast.
She is close friends with the couple, as she used to be a regular customer at the Little Merlion.
“The good thing (is) having met Mark, the friendship continues beyond just the restaurant. We hang out even if we're not at his shop now,” said Ms Eng.
