Singapore Students' Association (Japan) – SSAJ

Current Executive Committee Members (May 2011 – )

President	Mr NG Ying Jian
1st Vice President	Mr POH Shin
2nd Vice President	Ms Michelle HO
Public Relations Officer	Mr LEE Chee How
Treasurer	Mr Jonathan QUEK
Executive Secretary	Ms OH Xuemin

---

President’s Message

To all current and prospective students:

Looking through the pictures on Facebook, I am smiling as I reminisce the times I spent with fellow Singaporeans since I arrived in Tokyo 3 years ago! Some may have left Japan, but the friendship and bonds forged will be lifelong! I had lots of fun involving myself in the many activities organised by the SSAJ through the years. It is my great honour to serve the Singapore Students’ Association Japan as president for the 2010/2011 semester, and I look forward to meeting all the fellow Singaporeans residing in Japan.

Thanks to the concerted effort of the past president Ying Hui and all other Committee members who did a fantastic job supporting students in Japan! A big thank you goes out to Poh Shin and Gerald for their dedication and sacrifice in setting up our current website with professionalism! In the past year, the committee has organised a wide array of activities successfully for fellow Singaporeans. The committee was also involved in the Asian Youth Network Japan (AYNJ) to promote the unique culture of Singapore amongst other ASEAN countries. Their efforts in setting up a food bazaar and staging a cultural performance definitely received a standing ovation!

In a nutshell, the committee is fully dedicated to better serve the members and make your stay in Japan pleasant and fulfilling. Our success and involvement will hinge on your engagement. We are striving to work towards this year’s theme, “To bond and grow as one”. SSAJ is not all about keeping in touch with Singaporeans and having fun together; it is also a platform for fellow Singaporeans to support each other in one way or another, as living and studying in any foreign country is never easy. After all, Japan is vastly different from Singapore- perspectives are different, and even the interpretation of body language is unfamiliar to most Singaporeans when they first set foot here. It is often difficult to make close friends or even open up to others. In this respect, SSAJ is not only dedicated to the needs of Singaporean students, but is also committed to helping fellow Singaporean students step out and embrace the Japanese society! We hope to do this through many fun activities, which we will update you about throughout this coming year.

By building on the above excellent foundation and objectives, we will further gear towards the events and activities lined up throughout the year. If you are going to miss the fireworks display on National Day in Singapore, fret not, for we are coming together to watch 花火　(fireworks) over the skies of Sumida River. The fireworks will mesmerise you as we gather under the skies to watch the brilliant displays put up by various pyrotechnic groups battling to win the top prize. Other highlights later in the year include 紅葉狩り (red leaves viewing) and our very own 忘年会 (Bounenkai) to celebrate our past year in this foreign land.

Can you remember the last time you felt like you were having fun back in your secondary school or army days? We hope that these activities will be as memorable as your Secondary school and army days, and, through them, we hope that you will meet new friends and forge amazing connections for your social network! Also, we have established links with various external organisations such as JUGAS(Japanese Graduate Association Singapore), the OSU(Overseas Singaporean Unit) and external recruitment agencies. The SSAJ also provides a pedestal for Singaporean students to share valuable information on studies, living, part-time job vacancies, internships and survival tips, as well as ways to communicate and interact effectively with the Japanese (decorum and practices that a foreigner has to pay attention to). In essence, it is an excellent platform for us to share our experiences living in Japan with each other.

To quote Henry Ford, “Enthusiasm is the yeast that makes your hopes shine to the stars. Enthusiasm is the sparkle of the eyes, the swing of the gait”. We are delighted to see the enthusiasm and vitality of the Singaporeans community in Japan, and we look forward to more bonds and friendship in the coming term. Ultimately, we would love to have a fulfilling student life, one which we can be nostalgic about in the future.

We welcome you to join us as a member and be part of the Singaporean student community in Japan!