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Press release

Minister O’Donovan leads delegation to Japan to strengthen cultural and sports partnerships

  • Minister to host Irish and Japanese cultural and sporting stakeholders in Japan including at the recently opened Ireland Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka
  • Political and sectoral meetings to advance Irish-Japanese sporting, cultural and industrial relations

The Minister for Arts, Media, Communications, Culture and Sport, Patrick O’Donovan TD, today travels to Tokyo to lead a high-level delegation aimed at strengthening Ireland’s cultural and sporting connections with Japan.

Building on the recent Government Decision on Ireland-Japan 2025 (April 2025), the delegation will seek to advance implementation of the Joint Statement between Japan and Ireland, as well as deepening cultural and sports partnerships between the countries.

The visit coincides with the Ireland Japan 2025 programme - a yearlong series of activities designed to increase Ireland’s presence and visibility in Japan, including Ireland’s participation in Expo 2025 Osaka and through the opening later this year of a new Ireland House, with the overall aim of strengthening our existing political, economic and people-to-people links.

Beginning in Tokyo, the programme will include meetings to develop Ireland’s cultural, sporting and economic ties with Japanese parliamentarians, policy-makers and culture sector stakeholders. The Minister will also meet with the Irish cultural and sporting diaspora in Japan to discuss developing our ties with the country.

Following this, Minister O’Donovan will travel to Osaka to lead the ribbon-cutting at the Ireland Pavilion at Expo 2025.

Attending the ‘Co-Creating Cultures for the Future’ Themed Week, Minister O’Donovan will host key Irish and Japanese Cultural Stakeholders at the Ireland Pavilion to discuss how we can strengthen collaborations between the two countries. Irish cultural presenters at Expo 2025 will include the National Museum of Ireland, National Concert Hall, the Irish Museum of Modern Arts, Harp Ireland, Animation Ireland and many more.

Speaking ahead of the mission, Minister O’Donovan said:

“In an increasingly complex geopolitical environment, Japan continues to emerge as a like-minded and important strategic partner for Ireland on the global stage. The Government’s commitments to significant investments in Japan and an increased focus through the Ireland Japan 2025 programme are a clear demonstration of our intent to strengthen this key relationship in the years ahead."

“I am looking forward to working with both our Japanese counterparts in the culture and sports sectors, as well as the highly impressive Irish sporting and cultural diaspora in Japan, to develop the working relationships between our two islands. Our work in Tokyo and Osaka over the next week will be essential in increasing Ireland’s visibility in Japan and developing new vibrant cultural partnerships and exchanges.”

ENDS

Notes to editiors:

Japan is one of Ireland’s largest trading partners in Asia with annual two-way trade valued at over €21.5 billion. It is the largest source of Foreign Direct Investment into Ireland from the Asia-Pacific region.

The objective of the Global Ireland Strategy- a multi-annual, whole-of-government initiative, is to double the scope and impact of Ireland’s global engagement by 2025. The strategy places emphasis on building awareness of Ireland abroad.

In July 2022, the Taoiseach Micheál Martin TD signed a Joint Statement with Prime Minister Kishida of Japan committing to take relations and exchanges between Ireland and Japan to a new level. The opening of an Ireland House in Japan, and participation in Expo, are concrete examples of delivering on those commitments.

Participation in Expo provides a unique platform to engage directly with the Japanese public and with visitors from across the region.

The Ireland Pavilion at Expo 2025 is a key part of the Ireland Japan 2025 programme, a yearlong series of activities designed to increase Ireland’s presence and visibility, including through the opening later this year of a new Ireland House, and to strengthen our existing political, economic and people-to-people links.

Designed by Office of Public Works architects, the Ireland Pavilion is inspired by the ancient Celtic motif of the triskele. The Ireland Pavilion will serve as a hub for Irish organisations, Team Ireland, the diaspora and affinity diaspora, and as a place where connections with Ireland are fostered. An immersive visitor experience will provide all visitors with a better understanding of Ireland’s culture, its people, and its ties with Japan.

Ireland’s presence at Expo Osaka, Kansai, will include contributions from a range of Team Ireland stakeholders including cultural institutions, government departments and State agencies.

More information on Ireland Japan 2025 is available at Ireland.ie/IrelandJapan2025