Mr. Walter Sim
（Singapore）

The Straits Times

Happy Golden Jubilee! The FPCJ has been an invaluable resource from the day I first arrived in Tokyo alone in 2016 as The Straits Times’ Japan Correspondent. I felt completely lost, not knowing much Japanese and without a direct predecessor. It was through the FPCJ’s support that I managed to find my feet by attending press briefings and press tours.

Thanks to the FPCJ’s support in research and arranging interviews, I’ve been able to produce stories from sumo wrestling to the famous Yubari melon and ama divers. I am confident that beyond its 50th birthday, the FPCJ will continue to play an indispensable role in enabling newcomers understand Japan better.

<Photo Description>The photograph was taken on Oct 7, 2024, during an FPCJ press tour of the Tokyo Skytree at a height of 497m above ground, on the usually-off-limits outdoor deck where lightning research is conducted.