Embassy of Singapore, Tokyo

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Embassy of Singapore, Tokyo
駐日シンガポール大使館
Kedutaan Besar Singapura di Jepun
新加坡駐日本大使館
Singapore embassy in Tokyo.jpg
Embassy of Singapore, Tokyo
Location Tokyo
Address5-12-3 Roppongi, Minato, Tokyo
Opened1966
Ambassador Ong Eng Chuan
Website https://www.mfa.gov.sg/tokyo


The Embassy of Singapore, Tokyo is Singapore's main diplomatic mission to Japan. It is located at 5-12-3 Roppongi, Minato, Tokyo.

Contents

Overview

Japan and Singapore established diplomatic relations on 26 April 1966, a few months after Singapore was expelled from Malaysia and became an independent country. The construction of the current embassy was completed in 1978. [1] It was designed by the Japanese architect Shin'ichi Okada (岡田新一). The garden of the embassy was designed by the Japanese landscape architect Junichi Inada (稲田純一), who played a central role in planning Singapore's national parks for nearly half a century. His last work there was "The Canyon" at the Gardens by the Bay, completed in 2016. [2] [3]

The incumbent ambassador since April 2023 is Ong Eng Chuan, who earned a Bachelor of Engineering degree from Tokyo Institute of Technology in 1993. Before being posted in Tokyo for the second time in his career, he served as Ambassador to Belgium with concurrent accreditation to the European Union, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg from April 2012 to April 2016, and as Deputy Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from May 2016 to May 2023. [4]

Incident

Voyeuristic photographing

On 27 February 2024, Japanese newspaper Yomiuri Shimbun reported that a Singaporean counsellor, Sim Siong Chye, then aged 55, used his mobile phone to voyeuristically photographed a first-year middle school student in the changing room of a public bath in Minato, Tokyo, near the embassy during his tenure as a diplomat. [5] [6]

Staff of the public bath reported the incident to the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department. Sim was investigated on the spot by the Japanese police and was found having around 700 photos of similar photos of other male customers. The photos were deleted on the spot by Sim after being requested by the Japanese police. Sim refused to go to the police station for further investigation and Japanese police did not arrest him due to his diplomatic immunity. [7] The Metropolitan Police Department was investigating the case with a view to charges of violation of the Act on Prohibition of Child Prostitution and Pornography (production) and the Act on Punishment of Persons for Taking Photographs of Sexual Desire (filming). [8]

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Singapore said it was notified of the allegations on 1 May after Japanese media outlets contacted the ministry. Sim had returned to Singapore mid April at the end of his tour but did not inform the ministry of the incident until he was asked by the ministry. [6] [9] He was subsequently suspended from duties. [6] The ministry said it was prepared to waive diplomatic immunity if needed. [8] Metropolitan Police Department requested the Ministry of Foreign Affaries, via Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to bring back Sim for further investigations. [10] SIm returned to Japan on 9 June and on 13 June, fined 300,000 Japanese yen by a court in Japan for trespassing and violating the Tokyo Metropolitan Government's Anti-Nuisance Ordinance. [11]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "About the Embassy". www.mfa.gov.sg. Retrieved 2024-05-03.
  2. ↑ Yesita, Jessi (2020-12-16). "THE CANYON at Gardens by the Bay". ALL ABOUT CITY - SINGAPORE. Retrieved 2024-05-03.
  3. ↑ Seow, Bei Yi (2018-11-24). "Japanese-inspired attraction opens as Gardens by the Bay pulls in more visitors". The Straits Times. ISSN   0585-3923 . Retrieved 2024-05-03.
  4. ↑ "ONG ENG CHUAN". www.mfa.gov.sg. Retrieved 2024-05-03.
  5. ↑ "Singapore diplomat accused of filming naked boy at Tokyo bathhouse". South China Morning Post. 2024-05-02. Retrieved 2024-05-03.
  6. 1 2 3 "Japan police seek return of Singapore diplomat accused of filming teen at public bath". CNA. Retrieved 2025-03-17.
  7. ↑ "在日シンガポール大使館元参事官が盗撮疑い 銭湯で". 日本経済新聞 (in Japanese). 2024-05-02. Retrieved 2024-05-03.
  8. 1 2 "Singapore diplomat questioned by police in Japan after reportedly filming male student at public bath: Reports". CNA. Retrieved 2025-03-17.
  9. ↑ "盗撮認めた外交官、すでに帰国 シンガポール大使館「任を終えた」：朝日新聞デジタル". 朝日新聞デジタル (in Japanese). 2024-05-02. Retrieved 2024-05-03.
  10. ↑ "Japan police seek return of Singapore diplomat accused of filming teen at public bath". CNA. Retrieved 2025-03-17.
  11. ↑ "Singapore diplomat fined US$1,900 by Japanese court after filming naked boy at Tokyo public bath". CNA. Retrieved 2025-03-17.
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