■ 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.

■Introduction

In this month’s report, we bring you a look at The Japan Rail Fair 2024 held in Singapore. Our office collaborated with Yotsuba Milk Products Asia (The Singapore branch of Yotsuba Milk) to showcase a Hokkaido booth, promoting Hokkaido’s food and tourism appeal.

○The Japan Rail Fair 2024 Organizer：JR East Southeast Asia Business Development (Singapore Branch of JR EAST) Dates：October 11 (Friday) – October 13, 2024 (Sunday)　11：00～20：00 (Closing at 18：00 on the final day) Venue：Urban Park at Guoco Tower(1 Wallich Street Singapore 078881) Overview：Japanese local governments, and companies exhibited booths to promote the appeal of Japan’s food, tourism and culture.

■Event Highlights

The event featured 22 organizations, including municipalities such as Hokkaido, Akita Prefecture, Yamaguchi Prefecture, Azumino City, Akita City, as well as the Fukuoka Tourism Association, San’in Inbound Organization, Hoshino Resorts Tomamu, JR Kyushu, Air Japan, and KIRIN Holdings, each promoting their offerings. At the Hokkaido booth, our office distributed Hokkaido tourism brochures and held a lucky draw, while Yotsuba Milk provided free samples of four varieties of milk available at local retail stores (plain, strawberry milk, milk tea, and coffee milk), drawing many visitors. On the final day, we held a Hokkaido presentation, sharing information on Hokkaido tourism and the product lineup of Yotsuba Milk.

■ Visitor Comments

・”We’re planning a family trip to Hokkaido in December and we will be meeting family members who live in the U.S. over there.”

・”We’re planning a 10-day trip to Hokkaido in June next year and are looking forward to enjoying the natural scenery, hot springs, and gourmet foods.”

・”I love Yotsuba’s strawberry milk and buy it often. I’m thrilled to have had a chance to try the coffee milk this time.”

■Observations

This event served as an excellent opportunity to promote Hokkaido’s food and tourism through a joint effort between public and private sectors. We will continue to utilize similar events to actively promote the charms of Hokkaido.

 

■Introduction In this month’s report, we will highlight the popular travel destinations in Hokkaido from the feedback that our office has gotten from visitors and travel agencies that we have encountered at travel fairs our office have participated in, focusing on 3 ASEAN countries: Singapore, Philippines and Indonesia. Additionally, the number of foreign tourists from each country who visited Japan and Hokkaido is as follows. Inbound tourists to Japan (*1) Inbound tourists to Hokkaido (*2) Singapore 616,962 70,100 Philippines 712,925 22,200 Indonesia 463,770 21,000 ※１：Based on inbound tourism statistics from Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) ※２：Based on the Hokkaido Tourism Visitor Survey Report ■Singapore According to JNTO Singapore office, the percentage of FIT (Foreign Independent Travelers) is as high as 95%, with a trend of them gathering information online or via social media, and arranging their own trips. There are also many repeat visitors to Japan, especially to Hokkaido, as its vastness often requires multiple visits to explore. Notably, these travelers do not limit themselves to Central Hokkaido but explore the entire region. Many are seasoned travelers who take domestic flights from Haneda Airport to local airports in Hokkaido. At a travel expo in August, we have heard several interesting stories, such as “I photographed a wild deer at the Notsuke Peninsula in Winter”, “Can you recommend a hotel on Rishiri Island?”, and “I visit Kikonai because the expressway opened.” It was surprising to see how many travelers were seeking more niche travel destinations in Hokkaido. As for how they spend their time during their stay, their preferences varied from “I want to drive on wide roads since Singapore is so small”, “I want to visit different hot springs,” “I want to cycle around various areas of Hokkaido,” to “I just want to eat delicious food in Hokkaido all day, every day” ■Philippines Although there has been an increase in travelers to Honshu due to the addition of flights between Manila and Kansai, many expressed a strong desire to visit Hokkaido at the travel expo held in Manila this February. When we distributed tourism brochures, many people eagerly turned to the winter pages and asked questions such as ‘Where can we see snow?’ and ‘When is the Snow Festival?’ indicating a high level of interest in winter travel. According to local travel agencies, package tours focusing on Central Hokkaido, which require less travel, are popular. These tours often include a one-night stay at a hot spring resort and tend to offer a relaxed sightseeing experience within a relatively small area. ■Indonesia At the travel expo held in Jakarta last month, there were more visitors with experience or plans to travel to Hokkaido than expected, and we provided various tourist information to them. Many attendees seemed interested in Hokkaido due to the anime ‘Golden Kamuy,’ which features Ainu culture, and we had opportunities to introduce ‘Upopoy’ and ‘Akan Lake Ainu Village’ at the expo. Additionally, because many trains in Indonesia are former Japanese models, there was interest in ‘railfanning’ in Hokkaido, with some considering travel plans using the Hokkaido JR Pass. According to local travel agencies, while many people visit Hokkaido for its magnificent natural landscapes, food can be a barrier for Muslim travelers, which often complicates travel plans to Japan. ■Looking Ahead Although the level of awareness of Hokkaido varies by country, Hokkaido tourism is a compelling content that attracts many people. We will continue to work on promoting Hokkaido’s charm to expand inbound tourism.

 

■Introduction
For the first time, the Singapore Food Manufacturers’ Association (SFMA) participated in Hokkaido’s largest trade show, the “Hokkaido Products Trade Business Meeting” to promote “Made in Singapore” food products to the attending buyers. Established in 1967, SFMA is one of the influential industry association in Singapore, boasting over 450 members. In addition to organizing large-scale food fairs domestically, SFMA actively participates in food events overseas.

○ Overview of Hokkaido Products Trade Business Meeting Date：June 11, 2024 (Tue) – June 12, 2024 (Wed) Venue：Grand Mercure Hotel Sapporo Organizers：Hokkaido Government, Sapporo City Hall, The Hokkaido International Trade & Industry Promotion Association Notes：Nearly 300 companies participated to expand the domestic and international sales channels for Hokkaido products. With over 2,000 buyers attending, this is the largest trade show in Hokkaido.

■Background
SFMA has been a crucial partner in promoting Hokkaido food products in Singapore. Key figures, including Chairman David Tan, have attended Hokkaido food promotions held in Singapore as honored guests. SFMA aims to expand the market for Singaporean food products in Japan, which led to their participation in the Hokkaido Products Trade Business Meeting.

■Venue Atmosphere
At the SFMA booth that was set up at the trade business meeting venue, a variety of Singaporean food samples, including noodles and the local coffee “Kopi,” were displayed. Among the offerings, the Chinese buns (Pau) filled with the Singaporean specialty “Chili Crab” received high praise from attendees, with comments such as “The rich crab flavor and the perfect mild spiciness are amazing.”

■Looking Ahead
Hokkaido aims to market its local food products in Singapore and the ASEAN region, while SFMA seeks to promote Singaporean food products in Hokkaido and Japan. Following this trade business meeting, both parties intend to further develop their existing relationship and leverage each other’s networks. This collaboration aims to foster mutual trade expansion and economic exchanges. Our office is committed to continuing to collaborate closely with SFMA and other stakeholders to further promote the charm of Hokkaido.

■Event Pictures

This month, we will introduce the “Scenery of Japan Photo Contest” that is currently being held in Singapore. This photo contest is organized by the Embassy of Japan in Singapore, among others, and our office is also participating in a supportive role.

○ “Scenery of Japan Photo Contest” Organizers： Embassy of Japan in Singapore, Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) Singapore, Japan Local Government Center (CLAIR) Singapore Office Supporters：Japan Airlines (JAL), All Nippon Airways (ANA), Fujifilm, Nikon, Sony, Canon, East Japan Railway Company (JR East), JTB Corporation, Hokkaido Gov Rep Office Eligibility：Individuals aged 18 and above, residing in Singapore who holds a passport from a country other than Japan Photo Requirements: Photos submitted must been taken by the applicant themselves in Japan after October 2022. Submission period: March 28th (Thursday) to June 30th (Sunday), 2024 Award Ceremony：Scheduled to be held between July and September 2024

■About the photo contest

This photo contest marks the first initiative led by the Embassy of Japan in Singapore to widely promote the charm of Japan to the people of Singapore. With the aim of introducing the unique attractions and experiences of Japan through the eyes of foreign tourists, they are inviting submissions of photos taken throughout Japan during all seasons.

The photos will be exhibited at the Japan Creative Centre, a hub for disseminating information about Japanese culture in Singapore.

There are also exciting prizes to be won, such as round-trip air tickets to Japan and high-performance digital cameras, etc. From our office, we are proud to offer Hokkaido-produced wine “Jewel of Tokachi”, which represents one of Hokkaido’s finest exports to the world.

■Observations

Japan has always been a popular travel destination for people living in Singapore, but recently, with the ongoing trend of a weaker yen, there has been a further increase in the number of travelers to Japan. Among travelers, Hokkaido stands out as a destination with delicious cuisine, magnificent nature, and a wide variety of activities, making it a favorite among repeat visitors. Therefore, our office believes that there are many opportunities for travelers to capture stunning photos. We would be delighted to receive as many submissions as possible of photographs taken in Hokkaido. We are eagerly looking forward to the announcement of the results to see which photographs will be awarded the prizes!

We visited the “FHA FOOD & BEVERAGE 2024,” which is the largest food and beverage industry exhibition in Asia, and would like to share with you the atmosphere of the venue.

○ FHA FOOD＆BEVERAGE 2024　　(Official Website：https://fhafnb.com/) Date：April 23rd (Tuesday) to April 26th (Friday), 2024 Venue：Singapore EXPO (Singapore’s largest exhibition venue) Details：The largest food and beverage industry exhibition in Asia, gathering domestic and international professionals from the food industry Previous year’s turnout statistics：1,300 exhibitors, 50,221 attendees Expected turnout for this year：1,500 exhibitors, 60,000 attendees (as quoted from the official website)

■Venue situation

The Singapore EXPO, where the main event took place, is Singapore’s largest exhibition venue, located about a 5-minute drive from Changi International Airport. It boasts 10 exhibition halls spread across a vast indoor and outdoor space of up to 123,000 square meters. For this event, seven of these halls were utilized, drawing food and beverage industry participants from around the world who showcased their products and offered tasting sessions.

Among the local exhibitors was Yotsuba Milk Products Asia Pte. Ltd., offering samples of “Hokkaido Nomu Yogurt.” Visitors who sampled the yogurt expressed appreciation, noting that yogurt made from Hokkaido milk was delicious, and the drinkable format was convenient as it eliminated the need for a spoon.

At the JAPAN PAVILION, Sujata Meiraku Group provided ice cream samples, while the JETRO Singapore booth featured promotional activities highlighting the Hokuriku region.

Not only Asian but also European countries had booths set up. The Singapore Pavilion, in particular, attracted a massive crowd, making it difficult to navigate through. Visiting crowded booths revealed presentations of instant noodles that could be cooked in a microwave, emphasizing their convenience over traditional cup noodles as they require no hot water and are halal-certified, ensuring they are suitable for consumption by Muslims.

■Moving Forward

We heard later that about half of the buyers who attended FHA came from Europe and North America, reaffirming its status as Asia’s largest food event. Singapore serves as a showcase for ASEAN, attracting attention from around the world, making promotion efforts crucial for showcasing Hokkaido’s food brands. Our office will continue to collaborate extensively with local companies and organizations to promote the charms of Hokkaido and contribute to its ongoing appeal.

■Atmosphere of the Event