Local Confectionery, Yikowei, and Japanese Nutrition Tech Company, Nutribase, Celebrate SJ60 with Special edition Mooncake This Mid-Autumn Festival
This year marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of Singapore-Japan diplomatic relations (SJ60). To mark this longstanding friendship between Singapore and Japan while also celebrating the upcoming Mid-Autumn Festival, which falls on 25th September this year, renowned local confectionery Yikowei Pte Ltd (Yikowei) is partnering with Nutribase Co., Ltd. (Nutribase), a leading Japanese nutrition tech company, to launch a commemorative mooncake (the ‘SJ60 Mooncake’).
Ceremonial cutting of the mooncake to signify the launch of the SJ60 Mooncake. From left to right – Mr Akira Yasuda( Member, SJ60 Committee), Mr Atsushi Okamoto (First Secretary, Embassy of Japan in Singapore), Mr Toru Hotta (Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of Japan in Singapore), Mr Ryo Shirai (Co-Founder, Nutribase) and Mr Amos Chow (Director, Yikowei).
Commemorating the friendship between Singapore and Japan during the Mid-Autumn Festival is particularly meaningful. This is because while the festival holds a special place in Singapore’s multicultural heritage, Japanese culture also marks the occasion with the tradition of Tsukimi, or moon viewing, which falls on the same date as the Mid-Autumn Festival, and celebrates the beauty of the autumn moon and a bountiful harvest. This shared tradition reminds us that despite our geographical distance, our two countries share deep cultural connections.
‘Food can bring people and cultures together. And what better way to showcase this than during the Mid-Autumn Festival, an occasion which represents togetherness, unity and reunion? As we celebrate the friendship between Singapore and Japan, we look forward to initiating even more such meaningful partnerships that bring our cultures closer, break new ground and inspire us to reach greater heights together,’ says Mr Akira Yasuda, a member of the SJ60 Committee, which oversees the commemorative activities marking the 60th anniversary celebrations.
Nutribase Co-Founder, Mr Ryo Shirai: ‘We want to bridge nutritional gaps by adding essential nutrients to foods people already enjoy. With Ayo, our nutritional powder which is tasteless and odourless, we can give traditional favourites like mooncakes a nutritional boost without changing their taste.’
One eye-catching aspect about the SJ60 Mooncake is that it is focused on being healthier and more nutritious without compromising on taste. To achieve this, the mooncakes will contain AYO, a proprietary plant based powder created by Nutribase. Free from artificial additives, AYO contains 11 essential nutrients and four vitamins per gram of serving and incorporates unique functional ingredients such as prebiotic fiber for gut health, antioxidant-rich botanical extracts, and natural adaptogens. Tasteless and odourless, it is designed to seamlessly blend into any food or beverage. Says Mr Hideaki Sato, Founder and CEO of Nutribase: ‘Modern diet means that while we may feel full from eating, we may not be getting all the essential nutrients our body needs to function at its full potential. This hidden nutritional gap affects 68% of the world’s population. Through the mooncake, a traditional food item that is familiar to most Singaporeans, we look to show how AYO can easily enhance the nutritional value of everyday foods while still retaining its flavour. We hope that this will be the start of an exciting journey and we can work with more local food that is close to the heart of Singaporeans.’
Commemorating the Mid-Autumn Festival, guests enjoyed the SJ60 Mooncake, which comes in two flavours (White lotus and black sesame), together with fresh pomelos and tea.
Yikowei, with over four decades of baking experience, will oversee the design and production of the mooncakes. The mooncakes will be traditionally baked, with low-sugar white lotus or black sesame paste filling and melon seeds, while incorporating the AYO powder to offer a more nutritious interpretation of this much loved festive tradition.
Says Mr Sato: ‘Nutribase is excited to have this platform to showcase the best of Japanese food innovation to a wider audience. In YiKoWei, we are delighted to work with a partner that is not only a master at their craft but also one with a deep appreciation and understanding of the cultural heritage and significance behind the Mid-Autumn Festival and mooncakes to Singaporeans. This has enabled us to create something that is authentic and demonstrates how better food nutrition does not have to come at the expense of taste, even for something as traditional as the mooncake.’
Mr Amos Chow, Director of Yikowei, says: ‘For Yikowei, good confectionery begins with the ingredients, and the knowledge and experience to make it. For over four decades, we have remained committed to selecting high-quality ingredients while continuously refining our products and production methods. This collaboration with Nutribase allows us to bring together our confectionery-making expertise with Japanese nutrition innovation, creating a mooncake that respects its traditional character while making it relevant to today’s consumers.’
Singapore and Japan established diplomatic relations on 26 April 1966. During this time, both countries have enjoyed strong enduring ties, marked by robust economic and trade relations, as well as close ties between our people. Today, both countries continue to be important trading and investment partners, looking to deepen cooperation in areas such as the green and digital economies as well as supply chain and economic resilience. The strong ties between the two countries are also reflected in the steady flow of people between the two countries. In 2025, 726,200 Singaporeans travelled to Japan, setting a record high, according to the Japan National Tourism Organisation, while 628,000 Japanese visited Singapore, according to the Economic Survey of Singapore by the Ministry of Trade and Industry.
The theme for this year’s celebration is ‘Co-imagine, Co-create, Co-evolve’. The celebration have included various collaborations and commemorative events between Singapore and Japanese organisations across various fields, including academia, tech, arts, music and culture, amongst others.
The SJ60 Mooncake, created through a collaboration between Singapore’s YiKoWei and Japan’s Nutribase to celebrate 60 years of Singapore-Japan diplomatic relations.
The SJ60 Mooncake will be available from 17th September 2026 at the Japan Rail Café at 5 Wallich St, #01-20 Guoco Tower, Singapore 078883. The SJ60 Mooncake is distributed by Vintage Management Pte Ltd, a local consulting firm that supports Japanese companies in expanding overseas, with a particular focus on Singapore.
