Singapore's latest push to become an Asian centre for research and development by pumping millions of dollars into state-of-the-art infrastructure and opening its doors to foreign talent is already attracting Japanese firms.

So far three Japanese firms have set up operations at the wealthy city-state's second research and development complex, Fusionopolis, since it opened in October.

Dubbed Singapore's science and technology powerhouse, it is focusing on research in "infocomm" technology, physical sciences and engineering, about 1 km away is Biopolis, focusing on biomedical research, which opened in 2003.

Japan Times