Ultraman & Merlion Feature Together in New STB Campaign to Mark 55 Years of S’pore-Japan Relations

Well, I’m sure this is a collaboration none of us ever saw coming. 

Who would have thought that we would see our very own Merlion teaming up with this iconic Japanese superhero? 

To commemorate 55 years of diplomatic relations between Singapore and Japan, Ultraman and the Merlion are coming together for a virtual campaign organised by the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) in Japan. 

Here’s all that you need to know. 

Ultraman & Merlion Feature Together in New STB Campaign to Mark 55 Years of S’pore-Japan Relations

According to production house Tsuburaya, Ultraman will be a part of the SingapoReimagine campaign “as the Ambassador of Light to connect the 55th anniversary of Singapore-Japanese relations with the anniversary of Ultraman’s first appearance on Earth 55 years ago”. 

The SingapoReimagine campaign was launched by STB in 2020 to visualise the future of tourism once COVID-19 restrictions are eased. 

And that’s right, this year marks Ultraman’s 55th anniversary. 

This milestone, according to STB Japan public relations manager Akiko Yoshida, makes Ultraman a very fitting ambassador this year indeed. 

Ultraman will make an appearance in merchandise, short films and tourism visuals, so be sure to keep a lookout for him!

Bringing S’pore to Japan

Bringing Japan to Singapore is a common concept for Singaporeans; many of the things we enjoy like food, anime, and Daiso are Japanese, but what about bringing Singapore to Japan?

On Tuesday (1 June), STB revealed the SJ55 logo, which features the Merlion and Japanese cherry blossoms in the style of origami. 

It also shared a slew of programmes that have been, or will be, implemented in Japan this year. 

These programmes span a range of mediums, from entertainment to cuisine. 

For instance, Singapore films such as “Homerun” (2003) and “881″ (2007) have been made available on Netflix in Japan since March. 

In addition, chicken rice meals, a beloved part of Singaporean fare, have been on sale at Royal Deli. Japanese supermarket chain Seijo Ishii is also selling bento meals of Singapore food, such as soya sauce chicken noodles and laksa, to Japanese consumers. 

Smartphone game D4DJ Groovy Mix also added the skyline of Singapore as one of the backgrounds available in the app. 

Travel agency JTB has promised more virtual tours, and a recorded performance by the Singapore Symphony Orchestra (SSO) will be made available for Japanese audiences to enjoy. 

These efforts have been made to ensure that Singapore is kept at the forefront of Japanese consumers’ minds, even with COVID-19 restrictions barring travel.

STB chief executive Keith Tan shared in a video message that the difficult times of the COVID-19 pandemic have made it “even more important for us to reaffirm longstanding relationships”. 

Feature Image: Tsuburaya Productions