On the 5th, the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) held a ceremony to celebrate the launch of the “SME Overseas Expansion Local Support Platform,” a framework to support Japanese SMEs aiming to develop new markets in Singapore. The organization will work with cooperating institutions in Singapore, such as the embassy and local banks, to strengthen the public-private partnership.

JETRO will act as the platform hub and will work with partner organizations on individual cases. It will also provide expert advice and introduce personal connections. The service is free to use. It is also open to small and medium-sized enterprises that have already expanded into Singapore.

At the ceremony, JETRO Singapore Director Yoichi Kimura emphasized, “We aim to create as many success stories as possible and bring greater diversity, depth and richness to the bilateral economic relationship between Japan and Singapore.”