■Introduction
Hokkaido Exhibits Again at Asia Pacific Food Expo (APFE) in Singapore.
At the Asia Pacific Food Expo (APFE), an annual food fair held in Singapore, Hokkaido participated once again following the previous year. In addition, a Hokkaido Food Business Meeting was held at a separate venue on the first day of the event, making it a valuable occasion to promote Hokkaido’s food industry. This report provides an overview of the APFE and the Hokkaido Food Business Meeting.
■About Asia Pacific Food Expo
・Organizer：Singapore Food Manufacturers’ Association (SFMA)
・Date & Time：December 5 (Fri) – December 8 (Mon), 2025 | 11:00 – 21:00
・Venue：Singapore EXPO Hall 4（1 Expo Door, Singapore 486150）
・Overview：One of Southeast Asia’s largest B2C food fairs, with approximately 200 exhibitors each year and around 300,000 visitors.
From Hokkaido, “Hokkaido Dosanko Plaza” took the lead in showcasing products from 18 companies across the prefecture. The products featured a wide range of Hokkaido specialties, including sweets, cheese, delicacies, instant noodles, and frozen scallops. Through live demonstrations and tastings at the booth, many visitors were drawn in to experience the offerings firsthand.
Exhibiting businesses shared their feedback, noting that, unlike domestic events, visitors provided clear and direct opinions, making it easier to understand market needs—a valuable learning experience. Some also observed, for example, that while Singaporeans are known to enjoy “sweet” and “spicy” flavors, products with strong saltiness were less well received. Overall, the event provided a valuable opportunity to introduce the appeal of Hokkaido-produced foods to the people of Singapore.
▲ Hokkaido Booth @ APFE
■Overview of the Hokkaido Food Business Meeting
On the first day of the event, a Hokkaido Food Business Meeting was held at a separate venue within the event facility where APFE was taking place. A total of 15 companies and organizations from Hokkaido participated, promoting their products to local business stakeholders.
Participating Hokkaido businesses shared feedback such as: “It was valuable to hear directly from local distributors about market demand trends.” “We were able to exchange business cards with representatives from local branches of major trading companies and department stores, which we feel will help build future relationships.”
The meeting provided an important opportunity for Hokkaido companies to connect with local partners and gain insights into the Singapore market.
▲ Hokkaido Food Business Meeting
■Conclusion
Participation in this event served to strengthen the relationship between Singapore and Hokkaido and represents one of the initiatives aimed at expanding exports of Hokkaido-produced foods. We will continue our efforts to promote Hokkaido’s food products, contributing to the development of the prefecture’s food industry.
■Introduction
In this month’s local report, we feature Singapore and Malaysia, highlighting popular travel destinations within Hokkaido and how visitors from these countries prefer to spend their time during their stay. The insights are based on feedback gathered from visitors at recent travel fairs our office participated in.
The number of foreign tourists who visited Japan and Hokkaido from each country in FY2024 is as follows:
■Singapore
Singapore, which is smaller in area than Sapporo and enjoys a warm climate all year round, is known for its strong enthusiasm for travel. Many Singaporeans travel abroad in search of seasonal scenery and activities, and numerous travel fairs and tourism promotion events are held throughout the year.
Among the various destinations, Hokkaido — with its vast land, rich natural environment, and cool climate — is one of the most popular choices for Singaporean travelers. For first-time visitors, areas such as Sapporo, Noboribetsu, Hakodate, and Furano are especially favored for their famous Hokkaido cuisine, snow activities, and flower fields.
For repeat visitors, however, there is growing interest in exploring destinations that cater more to personal preferences, such as the Northern and Eastern Hokkaido regions. At “NATAS Holidays,” Singapore’s largest travel fair held this August, inquiries included topics such as how to reach remote islands and available accommodations there, recommended areas for camping, and places with beautiful stargazing opportunities.
In addition, many Singaporeans enjoy self-drive trips, citing reasons such as “I want to experience driving on Hokkaido’s wide roads” and “It’s more convenient to travel by car when bringing along three generations of my family.”
▲Hokkaido Booth at NATAS Holidays 2025
■Malaysia
Like Singapore, Malaysia has a tropical climate with little seasonal variation, making Hokkaido, with its snowy landscapes and flower fields, a highly appealing travel destination.
According to the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO), most Malaysians have not yet travelled to Japan, and at “MATTA Fair,” Malaysia’s largest travel exhibition held in September, many visitors expressed interest in visiting Hokkaido for the first time. Popular experiences included not only snow activities, which are impossible to enjoy in Malaysia, but also flower fields, which drew strong interest from many who saw them featured in brochures.
As approximately 60% of Malaysia’s population is Malay, many travellers are mindful of halal dining options when choosing their destinations. Therefore, urban areas with more restaurants and accessible information often better meet their needs. In Hokkaido, there are ramen shops, dessert stores, and other establishments that cater to halal requirements, and some travellers mentioned that they researched these options in advance so they could fully enjoy Hokkaido’s local cuisine.
▲Hokkaido Booth at MATTA Fair 2025
■Findings
As ASEAN countries are generally hot and humid throughout the year, many people find Hokkaido — with its completely different climate and environment — especially appealing. Our office will continue to actively promote the attractions of Hokkaido to further expand inbound tourism from the region.
■Introduction
“NATAS Holidays 2025,” held from August 15 (Fri) to 17 (Sun), is Singapore’s largest travel fair, where tourism professionals from around the world gather to promote destinations from various countries and regions. Representing Hokkaido, the Hokkaido Tourism Organization, along with many local governments and related companies, participated in the event to showcase the charm of Hokkaido to Singaporeans searching for holiday destinations. This local report brings you a closer look at the event’s highlights.
■Tourism Promotion at the Hokkaido Booth
In Singapore’s year-round warm climate, there is strong interest in snow activities and seasonal flowers, making Hokkaido one of the most popular travel destinations among Singaporeans. At the Hokkaido Tourism Organization’s booth, a total of 13 organizations — including our office — participated to promote tourism in Hokkaido to event visitors.
Many attendees were repeat travelers who had already visited Hokkaido, and we received numerous specific inquiries about travel itineraries, timing, and transportation options. At the same time, there was also great enthusiasm for exploring new areas, with many visitors seeking information about Northern and Eastern Hokkaido. When we explained that there are direct flights from Haneda Airport to regional airports across Hokkaido, many showed strong interest.
In addition to snow activities and gardens, visitors expressed diverse travel interests such as enjoying hot springs, camping, and stargazing. Meanwhile, some Muslim visitors voiced concerns about the availability of halal food at travel destinations, reminding us of the importance of greater consideration and preparedness on the receiving side.
■Presentation by Hokkaido Smile Ambassador, Mr. George Lim
At both the main stage and the Hokkaido booth stage, a presentation was delivered by Mr. George Lim, a Hokkaido Smile Ambassador and VISIT JAPAN Ambassador appointed by the Japan National Tourism Agency.
Focusing on the theme of summer in Hokkaido, Mr. Lim introduced visitors to the attractions of Northern and Eastern Hokkaido — including outdoor activities, natural scenery, and local cuisine — effectively showcasing the lesser-known charms of the region.
■Conclusion
Although Singapore is known for having a high rate of FIT (Free Independent Travelers), this event once again reaffirmed the effectiveness of B2C promotions in the local market, as many Singaporeans were actively gathering information on their own.
Our office will continue to collaborate with relevant organizations and partners to make the most of various event opportunities, steadily promoting the many attractions of Hokkaido to the public.
（Picture 1 & 2）Hokkaido Booth （Picture 3）Presentation by Mr. George Lim
■Introduction
Hokkaido produced food are very popular in Singapore, and can be found in various stores across Singapore. Among them, dairy products have particularly strong brand recognition. This time, we will introduce Hokkaido dairy products sold in Singapore.
■「HOKKAIDO FRESH SERVE」Soft Serve Ice Cream
Located in the Marina Bay area, a major tourist destination, featuring the Merlion, this ice cream shop offers soft serve ice cream, made from Yakumo Town’s Motoyama Farm. It features the vanilla, and Hokkaido melon flavor, attracting many tourists. The shop also displays the “Hokkaido symbol mark for export”, which promotes Hokkaido brands overseas. This mark is trademarked in Hong Kong, Taiwan, China, South Korea, Vietnam, Singapore, and Thailand, and can be used by restaurants in these countries and regions, helping to showcase the appeal of Hokkaido’s food products.
■Hokkaido Cheese on Local Supermarket Shelves
In Singapore, supermarket cheese sections are larger compared to those in Japan, and the popularity of wine—particularly among affluent consumers—has driven up demand for cheese. At major local supermarket Cold Storage, Hokkaido cheeses are sold alongside imported varieties, including Camembert cheese, which is especially popular among Singaporeans for its smoky aroma.
■Yotsuba Dairy Products
In Singapore, supermarket cheese sections are larger compared to those in Japan, and the popularity of wine—particularly among affluent consumers—has driven up demand for cheese. At major local supermarket Cold Storage, Hokkaido cheeses are sold alongside imported varieties, including Camembert cheese, which is especially popular among Singaporeans for its smoky aroma.
■Conclusion
We hear that many Singaporeans, unable to forget the flavors they experienced during their trip to Hokkaido, continue to seek those memorable tastes by purchasing Hokkaido products at local supermarkets after returning home. Our office will continue to seize various opportunities to promote the appeal of Hokkaido’s food, so that even more Singaporeans can discover and enjoy the unique charm of Hokkaido products.
▲ HOKKAIDO FRESH SERVE
▲Yotsuba Dairy’s café au lait and roasted green tea latte on display at Gokoku Shichifuku
▲Hokkaido cheeses are also sold at Cold Storage
■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)