Enterprise Singapore (EnterpriseSG) and the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) today renewed their Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) for a further three years, at an exchange ceremony held during JETRO Singapore 70th Anniversary Business Forum.
The refreshed MoC was signed by Mr Lee Chuan Teck, Chairman of EnterpriseSG, and Mr Ishiguro Norihiko, Chairman and CEO of JETRO. Mr Susumu Kataoka, President of JETRO, and Mr Lee exchanged the MoC with Ambassador of Japan to Singapore, H.E. Hiroshi Ishikawa and Ms Gan Siow Huang, Minister of State for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Ministry of Trade and Industry, as witnesses.
The renewal follows the Singapore-Japan Strategic Partnership announced by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in March 2026. The signing takes place against the backdrop of an increasingly complex global economic environment, where both nations have identified areas of strategic and shared interest to collaborate on to drive long-term economic competitiveness and address domestic imperatives.
Under the renewed MoC, EnterpriseSG and JETRO will implement three key expansions:
- Sharpen the focus in existing areas of collaboration – (i) Digital and Tech and (ii) Green Transition and Energy to reflect both countries’ shared ambitions in areas like AI, semiconductors, and quantum computing, as well as clean energy solutions such as offshore wind and hydrogen.
- Life Sciences & Healthcare will be added as the third priority sector. This will cover areas such as digital health, precision medicine, and biotech, where Singapore and Japan’s complementary strengths and shared interests create strong potential for collaboration.
- Broaden support beyond startups, to include high-growth SMEs and larger corporates with strong technology and innovation capabilities. This enables more enterprises with cross-border ambitions to accelerate their growth and benefit from the partnership.
This renewed partnership will continue to be implemented across a range of channels and platforms, such as business matching, ecosystem linkages and continued knowledge-exchange activities.
Mr Lee Chuan Teck, Chairman of Enterprise Singapore, said: “Singapore and Japan share a deep and enduring economic partnership. The renewal of our MoC today underscores both the strength of our ties and our shared ambition to foster stronger collaborations between our companies, and the wider ecosystem, to address the new challenges in an increasingly complex global environment. I look forward to more and deeper partnerships that will emerge from this continued collaboration.”
Mr Susumu Kataoka, President of JETRO added, “As JETRO marks 70 years in Singapore, this renewed MoC reflects our long-standing partnership and our shared ambition for the future. Building on the strong foundation between Japan and Singapore, JETRO will continue to support the global expansion of innovative businesses, deepen cross-border collaboration, and contribute to strengthening resilient and connected economic ecosystems across ASEAN and beyond.”
Japan remains one of Singapore’s most significant economic partners, consistently ranking among our top 10 partners in trade and investment. In 2025, bilateral merchandise trade surpassed SGD 56 billion, and Japan is Singapore’s third largest source of foreign direct investment.
In 2024, Japan was Singapore’s second largest services export destination – after the United States – with bilateral services trade reaching over SGD 67 billion. There are more than 5,300 Japanese companies in Singapore, creating over 100,000 jobs for Singaporeans.
The signing takes on added significance in 2026, as JETRO marks 70 years in Singapore, having been established in 1956 as the Japan Trade Centre, and both Singapore and Japan celebrate the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations.
Since the signing of the previous MoC in 2022, collaborations between EnterpriseSG and JETROSingapore and Japanese enterprises have grown significantly with strong outcomes achieved across major startup platforms as well as digital and green transformation areas and Sushi Tech, while strengthening links between EnterpriseSG and Japanese local governments.
