Mr.Fukumoto designs the restaurants of local major F&B companies, like Crystal Jade and Imperial Treasure and owns 2 outlets, bar 'BAR 84' and Okinawa food 'Mimigar'. He started to be stationed in Singapore as an employee of Japanese design company, SOGO DESIGN in 1990.

"I came in Singapore in 1990, when Japanese bubble was ending. Singapore was also bubble economy like Japan. But Singapore was still country at that time. Orcahard had some shopping centers but not much. No Takashimaya. Men and women were lame. Only black shoes were worn. It was like nobody wore expensive shoes because they got wet by rain."

He became a representative of the company when he was 30 years old. He went back to Japan once in 1992, but back to Singapore in 1994 again.

"When I came back in 1994, Singapore was still bubble economy. But there came many problem, Asian currency crisis in 1997, SARS in 1998, avian flu in 2000, and BSE. Lehman Shock was in 2008 but it influences only a part of rich people relating to financial industry and most of people didn't have big impact in Singapore."

Until 1994, Singaporean government hadn't tried to increase the population. Japanese women could hardly get visa. The one who could get visa were people working for Singapore Airline, financial industry, and Japanese department store. The population of Singapore was like 3millions then and it was half of that today.

"From 1994, it was getting easier to get visa and the population increased. But it escalates too much and now it's hard to get visa again. Until 3 years ago, you could get PR for all your family members by 5millions SD. The price rose to 10millions 1 year ago, but it ended on April 2012. You can't get PR simply by money anymore. It doesn't matter how much you pay. Now you have to found a company or take over a company and live in Singapore literally to get PR. People wanting PR are seeking companies now. Taking over a company and entering the board as an executive to get EP, working for 3 years and then you can get chance to get PR."

It occurs against the background of inflow of many Chinese capitalist.

"From 2009 to today, Singapore is growing smoothly. But now Singapore is overheated and will collapse in the near future. Everybody knows that. It's just that they don't know when exactly."

Mr. Fukumoto is also managing a magic bar 'BAR 84' in the Gallery Hotel along the Singapore River.  

"When I opened the bar, 9 years ago, the place was isolated. There were only slum like warehouses made of brick by the river. Clarke Quay was built there by crashing all those warehouses. The place where the bar is now located was also a part of them. Only the façade and atmosphere remain now. They were unloading freight there and transporting them to the East Coast. Nobody was living here 22 years ago. A few warehouses were used but most of them were moved to other place where 40feet trailer could enter. After that, it was left untouched for 10 years. The place started changing after Clarke Quay was constructed."

The bar is a part of the hotel. He built the bar in the empty rental space. The interior design hasn't changed since opening 9 years ago.

"At first I didn't charge entry fee, but many local young people were coming and got out of my hand so I started to charge it. Soon after started charging, it stopped. Young European and Singaporean don't like entry fee system no matter how rich they are. You can see entry fee system only in Japanese shop.We offer a service to keep bottles but most local people finish the bottles or abandon them even though it's still not empty. They don't have concept for keeping the bottles in the shop."

"Singaporean who can drink alcohols and who can't are extreme. People who can't drink alcohols drinks non-alcohol like cola from the beginning."

The number of Japanese, European, and Singaporean customer are even in the bar now. The magic show is performed in both Japanese and English, and it's popular that 70% of the customers see it.

Finally, I aked Mr. Fukumoto about the future of Japanese food in Singapore.

"Most of Japanese food is already in Singapore. Other Japanese food which is not introduced to Singapore yet tends to be NG for Singaporean. Singaporean doesn't know plain taste and dislike cold food. So basically box lunch business is difficult. It doesn't have to be warm, but cold is not good in Singapore. Singaporean doesn't buy cold box lunch and eat as it is like Japanese. It has to be not-cold at least. The heat which Japanese thinks lukewarm is OK for Singaporean. It said that they can't accept cold food mentally."

"The food which still has possibility is Japanese-Chinese food like chop suey, sweet and sour pork, Sichuan style bean and curd rice bowl, and soba with various vegetables, seafood and meat. The taste of Japanese-Chinese food in Singapore is not different from that in japan. Japanese-Chinese food is seasoned by soy source and has strong taste but not salty. Singaporean likes hot food but not salty one. The Japanised Chinese food, which authentic Chinese restaurant doesn't have, can be recognized as Japanese food, has possibility to succeed in Singapore. Authentic Chinese restaurant has Sichuan style bean and curd, but doesn't have rice bowl style. These kind of food still have chance. "

"Japanese-Chinese food is Chinese food but is recognized as Japanese food by Singaporean. Singaporean likes Japanese-like things, for example, food served by smaller portion."

"Curry is also hard to sell in Singapore. They have Indian curry and Chinese fished curry and the concept of curry is already completed in Singapore. Japanese dry curry is not accepted here. Tastier Indian curry is sold by cheaper price so that Japanese curry can't be blockbuster. Co-Co Ichibanya is recognized as Japanese food, not as curry, by Singaporean."

"Singaporean can afford 25 SD but they can't afford 30 SD. Ramen costs less than 25 SD. For them, ramen is not Chinese food but authentic Japanese food. They think they are eating Japanese food which is special. That's why they can afford 25 SD for a ramen.

Japanese food has still big chance now and in the future. But, I think it's tough to sell food like udon, soba, curry."

Differences of culture, history have great influence on the preference of food taste. Living for many years, he can understand the little difference from various experiences.

To make Japanese food more popular than today in the future, we have to catch the feeling Singaporean has for Japanese food correctly.