2025

■Introdution

Singapore has seen remarkable economic development, but like Japan, it is facing the challenges of a declining birthrate and an aging population, leading to a labor shortage. In this context, we will focus on Singapore’s approach to securing human resources, particularly through the acceptance of foreign workers.

■Current Situation of Foreign Workers in Singapore

In Singapore, foreigners must obtain a work visa in order to be employed. There are several types of work visas, including the Employment Pass (EP) for managerial and professional positions, the S Pass for mid-level skilled workers, and the Work Permit for sectors such as construction, manufacturing, and domestic work. Each of these visas comes with specific requirements such as minimum salary thresholds, quotas on the number of foreign workers allowed, and in some cases, nationality restrictions.

According to the Singapore government’s “Population in Brief 2024” report, the total population of Singapore as of June 2024 stands at 6.04 million, representing a 2.0% increase from June of the previous year. One contributing factor to this growth is the increase in foreign workers, particularly in construction and other sectors, as the country catches up on projects delayed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In everyday life in Singapore, it is common to see Bangladeshi workers at construction sites and Filipino domestic helpers who live in and assist with household chores and caregiving.

■Recent Policies on the Acceptance of Foreign Workers

In recent years, there has been a growing trend of foreign talent being introduced into highly public sectors such as healthcare and law enforcement. For example, in emergency medical services, the shortage of personnel has become critical due to increasing demand driven by an aging population. In response, the Singapore Civil Defense Force (SCDF)—the national emergency service agency—has announced that starting in March 2025, it will begin recruiting emergency medical technicians and paramedics from ASEAN countries.

Additionally, Auxiliary Police Officers (APOs), who support the duties of regular police officers, were traditionally recruited from Singapore, Malaysia, and Taiwan. However, as of January 2024, the Singapore government has expanded the list of eligible countries, and now recruits APOs from Sri Lanka, Myanmar, the Philippines, India, and China.

■Conclusion

Singapore faces challenges similar to those of Japan, such as labor shortages and a declining birthrate coupled with an aging population. However, by leveraging its high wage levels and its strategic location at the heart of Southeast Asia, Singapore has been actively and flexibly attracting labor from neighboring countries. We will continue to gather and share local information with the aim of introducing initiatives that could serve as useful references for addressing issues faced by Hokkaido.

▲　Construction site scene (Photo taken by author)

▲　Ambulance on standby for emergency dispatch (Photo taken by office staff)

■ Introduction

In Singapore, Japanese content, especially anime, enjoys high popularity, with many Japanese TV shows and movies being widely watched. While terrestrial TV broadcasts and cinemas are available in Singapore, various VOD streaming services have become widespread nationwide. Among them, Netflix has a large user base, and it is common to see Japanese productions ranking in the platform’s Top 10.

In this article, we will introduce some of the most popular Japanese content currently trending on Netflix in Singapore.

■ Netflix Trends in Singapore

With English and Chinese as official languages, Singapore has a broad audience for multilingual content, making Netflix a popular choice among viewers.

According to a report published by the data platform Statista in September 2024, approximately 89% of respondents in Singapore reported watching Netflix. Additionally, a survey released in January 2024 indicated that Netflix’s annual paid membership in the Asia-Pacific region, including Singapore, reached approximately 45.34 million by the end of 2023, a significant increase from about 6.5 million in 2017.

With the expansion of VOD streaming services, local cinemas, which had temporarily closed during the COVID-19 pandemic, have resumed operations. However, some theaters have struggled to regain audiences and were forced to shut down.

■ Anime

Japanese anime enjoys immense popularity in Singapore, with many titles attracting a dedicated fan base. For example, Attack on Titan and Demon Slayer are highly acclaimed and widely supported by anime enthusiasts.

As of March 20, 2025, the Singapore Netflix TV show rankings featured SAKAMOTO DAYS at 9th place, highlighting the strong interest in newly released Japanese anime.

Most anime titles are watched with Japanese audio and English or Chinese subtitles, with many young viewers developing an interest in learning Japanese through anime. Meanwhile, popular children’s shows, such as Pokémon, are often available with English-dubbed versions to cater to younger audiences.

■ Movies

Similar to anime series, Japanese films are widely watched in Singapore. Studio Ghibli films attract viewers across all age groups, and many titles are available with English and Chinese dubbed versions.

Due to the strong popularity of anime, live-action adaptations also perform well. Recently, titles such as Kingdom, Rurouni Kenshin, and City Hunter have gained significant attention, making it into the Singapore Netflix movie rankings TOP 10 after their release.

■ Dramas & TV Shows

In terms of dramas, “First Love: 初恋” and “Alice in Borderland”, starring actors such as Takeru Satoh and Kento Yamazaki, have attracted a large audience.
Notably, “First Love: 初恋” was filmed in Hokkaido, and during travel fairs and events where our office participated, many attendees brought it up in conversation.
Additionally, according to our local staff, past releases like “Terrace House” and “Midnight Diner” were highly popular and even ranked in the Top 10 on Singapore’s Netflix.

■ Conclusion

As of March 2025, my assignment has come to an end, and I will be returning to Japan.

Although my reports may have been humble, I sincerely appreciate everyone who has followed them over the past one and a half years. I hope they have helped you gain a better understanding of our office’s activities and life in Singapore.

This month, I introduced popular Japanese content on Netflix in Singapore, but our office will continue to publish resident reports on various topics. I would be grateful if you continue to read and support them in the future.