Singapore hopes to move ties with Japan forward: PM Lee

TOKYO — Japan is an “important friend” to Singapore and a key contributor to the region, and Singapore hopes to take the relationship between the two countries further, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

Speaking at a National Day reception attended by about 400 Singaporeans in Tokyo, where he is on an official visit, Mr Lee said Singapore does a lot of business with Japan. 

“In our early years, Japanese investment made a lot of difference to our economy. Even now there is a lot of business between us,” he said, noting there are about 35,000 Japanese living in Singapore. 

“We would like to cultivate this relationship because we see that Japan has a lot to contribute to the region, economically, in terms of the social environment, in terms of culture and education, many areas,” he said. 

With Singapore at a turning point, having celebrated its Golden Jubilee last year, being connected to the world — such as to Japan, China, America and Europe — and being confident in what Singapore can do is key to success, said Mr Lee. 

Referring to the landmark Japan-Singapore Economic Partnership Agreement (Jespa), which is under review, Mr Lee said: “We hope to improve that, take further steps forward. 

“We work with them on Asean, we work with them on TPP (Trans Pacific Partnership) ... We have a good relationship on a country-to-country level.”

Mr Lee is on a four-day official visit to Japan, where he will also meet Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, and deliver a speech at a special session of the Nikkei 22nd International Conference on Thursday (Sept 29).

He is also accepting a posthumous award on behalf of the late founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew — the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Paulownia Flowers — an award Mr Lee described as “a great honour”.

Earlier on Tuesday (Sept 27), Mr Lee and his wife Ho Ching had an audience and lunch with Japanese Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko at their residence in the Imperial Palace in Tokyo. The meeting lasted about two hours.

The Imperial Couple last hosted Mr Lee, to tea, during his previous official visit to Japan in March 2007, and also met him when he visited Japan in 2013.