Information Session · 15 September 2026 · Singapore · S$8.90 (Includes Light Refreshments)

Women Beyond

Unlocking Opportunities in Japan

日本市場への扉を開く

A morning session on entering the Japanese market. Includes a fireside chat with a Singapore founder who has brought Japanese products into Singapore and a Singapore brand into Japan, an overview of the Tokyo Business Study Mission and Shiok! Singapore Market, and free one-to-one grant consultations with SME Centre @ ASME.

9:00AM – 12:00PM · S$8.90 (INCLUDES LIGHT REFRESHMENTS).

LIFELONG LEARNING INSTITUTE (TRAINING ROOM)

A fireside conversation between two women on stage, with an audience seated in front of them

Singapore skincare products styled on a stone plinth

Shoppers browsing a busy indoor market of Singapore brands

In This Session

A look at Japan as your next market: the potential, the

01A fireside chat with a Singapore founder who has crossed the Singapore–Japan corridor in both directions.
02Why more Singapore founders are looking at Japan, and why now may be a good time to consider it.
03Which sectors are seeing the strongest Singapore-to-Japan interest, and common misconceptions about entering the market.

A speaker presenting a Singapore and Tokyo market comparison to a seated audience

Founders around a table with maps and products

Programme

The morning's agenda

当日のプログラム

9:00 – 9:15amRegistration
9:15 – 10:00amFireside Chat with Sher-li Torrey. Discover how she grew a business into Japan and how she started another business
10:00 – 10:15amWhy Japan Matters Now: Benefits of doing business in/ with Japan
10:15 – 10:40amLight Refreshments
10:40 – 11:00amJapan Market Opportunities & Trends
11:00 – 11:15amTokyo Business Study Mission & Shiok! Singapore Market 2027
11:15 – 11:30amEnterprise Singapore Grants & Support - learn how you can tap on
11:30am – 12:00pmSME Centre one-to-one consultations & networking

Her two brands

Mums@Work Asia · Asia's Beauty Secrets

Fireside Chat

Sher-li Torrey

Founder, Mums@Work Singapore and Mums@Work Asia · Former Owner, Asia's Beauty Secrets

Sher-li Torrey founded Mums@Work Singapore in 2010, building it into a community of more than 70,000 women. In 2024, together with her business partner Deborah, she brought the brand into Japan through Mums@Work Asia, launching Return to Work Japan and developing relationships with Japanese companies, business organisations and women's networks.

From 2014 to 2019, Sher-li also ran Asia's Beauty Secrets, importing natural skincare products from suppliers in Shikoku, Kamakura, Chiba and Kyoto for sale in Singapore. Her products were sold at bazaars, pop-up stalls and carried by small retailers. This gave her firsthand experience in finding Japanese suppliers, earning their trust and introducing unfamiliar products to Singapore consumers.

Sher-li has therefore crossed the Singapore and Japan business corridor in both directions: bringing Japanese products into Singapore, and later taking a Singapore service brand into Japan.

What you can expect to learn:

01How Sher-li reached out to and developed relationships with Japanese suppliers and partners
02The challenges of importing and selling Japanese skincare in Singapore
03Why credibility in Singapore does not automatically transfer to Japan
04The differences between expanding a physical product and a service brand
05What she underestimated and would approach differently today
06How Singapore founders can better prepare before entering Japan

Asia's Beauty Secrets

Natural Japanese skincare sourced from suppliers in Shikoku, Kamakura, Chiba and Kyoto, and sold in Singapore from 2014 to 2019.

Mums@Work Asia in Japan

Mums@Work Asia networking session in Japan

Mums@Work x Code Without Barriers meet-up in Japan

Mums@Work Asia events in Japan since 2024.

Free 1-to-1 Consultation

Free 1-to-1 Grant Consultations

個別相談

Representatives from SME Centre @ ASME (Association of Small and Medium Enterprises) will be on hand for free, individual consultations on the day. A private conversation about what grants & financial support from the government, that you can tap on, as a Singapore business

Founders in one-to-one consultations at small round tables

Tokyo Tower lit at dusk above the Tokyo skyline

東京

Tokyo, February 2027 — and this morning is where it starts.

The Tokyo Journey

東京への道のり

This session includes an overview of the programme leading up to Tokyo.

Training

Two pre-departure days in Singapore, followed by two full training days in Tokyo, covering Japanese consumers, culture, buyers and commercial readiness.

Market

Shiok! Singapore Market, a two-day pop-up at Tokyo International Forum, Lobby Gallery, Marunouchi. 15 to 18 Singapore women-led brands across three zones — The Look (beauty & wellness), The Creativity (lifestyle & design), and Fuel & Flow (food & beverage).

Two Days, Two Audiences

The two days serve different audiences: Friday is for trade, media and buyers. Saturday is open to the Tokyo public.

Included

Included: booth, bilingual materials, interpretation support, and a consolidated leads report.

Shoppers browsing product stalls in the glass atrium of Tokyo International Forum

A product booth at Shiok! Singapore Market, with visitors browsing skincare items

Is This Session For You?

If you run a business in Singapore — or are building one — and you're curious about Japan, come along.

Women running a product or service business
Businesses that have found their feet
Anyone curious about Japan as a next market — exploring or planning

Not yet registered with ACRA? Still welcome — some grant support needs it, and this is a good place to learn how. Come as you are.

S$8.90 (includes light refreshments), and seats are limited.

15 September 2026 · 9:00am – 12:00pm · Lifelong Learning Institute, Training Room, 11 Eunos Road 8, Singapore 408601