Singapore Tomonkai

About the Singapore Tomonkai

Singapore Tomonkai continues to hold regular gatherings on the second Tuesday of every month, now that the pandemic is behind us. Each meeting draws between 20 and 30 members, ranging from current university students to alumni who graduated as far back as the 1980s. Members actively engage with one another across generations. In addition to our monthly gatherings, we also enjoy a variety of events such as golf tournaments, Christmas party, community cleanups at the Japanese Cemetery, and walking rallies. We also foster connections with other university alumni groups, including joint events and golf competitions with Keio University. As the school anthem beautifully expresses,“Her students change from year to year / Meet and part with youth’s delight / Yet all alike we seek to share / These ideals and their light,” Singapore Tomonkai will continue to uphold these ideals and serve as a place of meaningful encounters among Waseda University alumni. If you are visiting Singapore, please don’t hesitate to reach out—we would be delighted to welcome you.
Shunsuke Takahashi (Graduated in 2002, School of Law)

The attractive points of Singapore

Singapore is a compact city-state in which approximately six million people live in an area similar in size to the 23 special wards in Tokyo. It is safe, thanks to the government’s thorough management. Additionally, public transportation (e.g., subways and buses) is well developed. English is one of the official languages and earthquakes and typhoons are rare, making it easy for beginner expats to live here. Another attractive feature is that many people live near seaside business districts and can easily meet.

As for the surrounding environment, Singapore offers excellent access to countries in Southeast Asia and other regions, and traveling abroad is easy. The country is connected to neighboring Malaysia by a bridge, and Indonesia’s Riau Archipelago is an hour away by ferry. Singapore has a long relationship with Japan; Japanese people lived here a few decades after Singapore came under British rule (1819). Japanese cemeteries are located throughout the country and you can learn about many Japanese people who spent their lives in a foreign country.
Akira Sakuta (Graduated in 2018, School of Social Sciences)

Message from the Chairperson

Singapore Tomonkai, which held its first gathering in December 1976, will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2026. Since its launch, the number of members has increased along with the country’s development, and our mailing list includes over 600 members (counting some of those who returned to Japan). Waseda Shibuya Senior High School in Singapore is located here, suggesting a strong connection between Singapore and Waseda University. In recent years, Singapore has served as the Asia-Pacific regional headquarters for companies that tend to be more focused on the region, and our members now include executives of listed companies, while an increasing number of Japanese students study at the National University of Singapore and a growing number of multinational members have studied at Waseda University. Through our activities, our members interact and inspire each other under Waseda’s ties, regardless of age, nationality, or position. We hope that our Tomonkai activities contribute to the development of Singapore and Waseda University.
Hiroki Ito (Graduated in 1992, School of Education)

Messages from the Members

“Northwest of City great and fair / In the wood of Waseda” echoes strongly, even in Singapore, right under the equator. Singapore Tomonkai is a place where alumni bond, regardless of age. We hold diverse events, including regular monthly gatherings, get-togethers, sports, and social contribution activities. We also have the Japanese Branch to maintain ties with returning members. With the “high-aspiring” spirit of Waseda even in a foreign country in our mind we will continue to expand the Tomon network across the world.
Hirotaka Onawa (Graduated in 1995, School of Science and Engineering)

I have been participating in the Tomonkai since I came to work in Singapore, a tropical country seven hours from Japan by direct flight. At the overseas Tomonkai, you can connect with other members regardless of age because we are all from Waseda. I feel grateful to my alma mater even more than when I was a student and consider it fate to meet other members of this multicultural Southeast Asian country, whose only season is summer. I will strive to enliven Singapore Tomonkai to the best of my ability.
Ryo Kamata (Graduated in 2019, School of Social Sciences)

I remember the anxiety that I felt without acquaintances when I began working in Singapore. Then, I joined Singapore Tomonkai and got close to other members, thanks to our common alma mater. I first asked for advice about living in Singapore, and then I began to meet members in private. The Tomonkai is now one of my emotional pillars. I will continue to participate in its activities and liven it up to enrich my life.
Aya Yamada (Graduated in 2013, School of International Liberal Studies)

It has been five years since I joined Singapore Tomonkai in December 2019. I was able to get close to other members regardless of age, just for being a graduate of Waseda. We overcame instability during the pandemic by exchanging information, sometimes drinking, and having fun with other members. I hope to maintain friendships formed through the Tomonkai; I feel gratitude toward the seniors who have provided such connections in a foreign land. If you visit Singapore, please contact us.
Ayako Yamaguchi (Graduated in 2008, School of International Liberal Studies)

Covered in Waseda Gakuho, June 2025 Issue

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