Jane Du Juan (MPA 2017) and Masato Mikamo (MPA 2017)

When Jane Du and Masato Mikamo joined the Master in Public Administration (MPA) programme at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy (LKYSPP), neither imagined that their year of academic exploration would also lead to finding a life partner. What began with academic debates and late-night discussions over assignments, eventually blossomed into a relationship rooted in shared experiences and dreams.

 

A Partnership Sparked by Collaboration

Jane and Masato first met when they were assigned to the same Governance Study Project (GSP) at the start of their MPA programme. Over the year, they found themselves learning, debating, eating, working and travelling together. Whether it was hashing out project details at a McDonald’s on the East Coast, sharing meals in hawker centres around Singapore, or bonding during a class trip to Indonesia, they became good friends through their shared experiences.

However, it wasn’t until three months before graduation that they realised they wanted to be more than friends. “We wanted to do everything together,” they recall, a decision that set them on a path to becoming lifelong partners.

Memories Made at LKYSPP

Their time at LKYSPP was filled with moments they treasure to this day. One of their most memorable experiences was a trip to Malaysia just two months before graduation, where their bond deepened as they explored a new country together.

At the Valedictory Dinner, they shared their relationship with their classmates, receiving an outpouring of joy and support. While leaving Singapore after graduation was bittersweet, they knew that the friendships they had built with their MPA family would remain strong no matter where life took them.

A Love Across Borders

After completing the MPA programme, Jane and Masato’s careers initially took them in different directions. Jane briefly worked at the Economist Intelligence Unit in Shanghai before pursuing a PhD at the University of Sydney. Meanwhile, Masato returned to the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to continue his impactful work. Despite the physical distance, their connection remained solid.

They got engaged in Vietnam while attending a GSP groupmate’s wedding and later tied the knot in China, just two weeks before Jane left for Australia. In his wedding vows, Masato expressed his unwavering commitment: “No matter the physical distance between us, I will always support your dream because your dream is our dream.”

Making a Difference in the World

Today, Jane and Masato are not only partners in life but also changemakers in their respective fields. Jane is a final-year PhD candidate at the University of Sydney, where her research focuses on how firms co-create markets and internationalise digital innovations to address global challenges. Masato, on the other hand, is a management consultant helping Japanese manufacturing companies transform their business practices and organisational culture.

Their shared background in international aid programmes and their time at LKYSPP have equipped them to tackle real-world problems across borders. Through their work, they continue to embody the values they cultivated during their time in the programme: collaboration, innovation and a commitment to creating meaningful impact.

A Bond Forged in Shared Purpose

For Jane and Masato, their time at LKYSPP was about more than just academic growth – it was a time of self-discovery, connection, and partnership. The late-night debates and shared travels that began with a Governance Study Project laid the foundation for a relationship built on trust, mutual respect and shared dreams.