Japan-Ireland Relations

Japan and Ireland have long maintained a friendly relationship. The two countries established diplomatic relations in 1957. The Japanese legation in Ireland was upgraded to an embassy in 1964, while Ireland established its embassy in Tokyo in 1973. The 65th Anniversary of the establishment of their diplomatic relations was celebrated in 2022. As important partners with shared values, the bilateral relationship has enjoyed remarkable developments on various spheres in the recent past.

In 2013, mutual visits by the political leaders were realised for the first time in the history of bilateral relations; in June, Japanese Prime Minister ABE Shinzo visited Dublin and in December Taoiseach Enda Kenny visited Tokyo. The two leaders decided to launch a new Japan-Ireland Partnership for Innovation and Growth. In January 2017, the Minister for Foreign Affairs KISHIDA Fumio visited Ireland, followed by the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Flanagan’s visit to Japan from February to March, on the occasion of the 60th Anniversary of the establishment of the two countries’ diplomatic relations.
In July 2022, Prime Minister KISHIDA Fumio held a summit meeting with Taoiseach Micheál Martin during his visit to Japan on the occasion of the 65th Anniversary of the establishment of the diplomatic relations. The two leaders issued a Japan-Ireland Leaders' Joint Statement to further strengthen the bilateral cooperation in a wide range of areas such as global issues, economy and people-to-people exchanges.
In June 2022, on the occasion of Ukraine Recovery Conference, the Minister for Foreign Affairs HAYASHI Yoshimasa held a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Defence Micheál Martin and the two Ministers concurred to make the bilateral relationship even closer, building on to the Japan- Ireland Leaders’ Statement.

Trade and investment between the two countries have been in favorable condition in general. The Government of Ireland actively promotes exports as well as inward investment from foreign companies.

The exports from Ireland to Japan were 888.0 billion yen in 2023, while Japan's exports to Ireland were 246.2 billion yen in the same year. The main import items from Ireland are bio chemicals, medicines and optical instruments. As for exports to Ireland, the main items are machineries, vehicles and transport equipment.

Japan's investment to Ireland is in areas such as ICT, pharmaceutical, financial services and renewable energy. The number of Japanese companies in Ireland is around 120 as of 2023.

Many cultural activities, such as Experience Japan, the Japanese Film Festival and the Japanese Language Contest, have been implemented by both governments and other organisations, including the Japan Foundation and the Ireland Japan Association.

112 Irish people are participating the JET Programme currently (as of July 1st, 2023).

In 2019, the Rugby World Cup in Japan further promoted mutual understanding between the two nations and mutual exchanges between local communities.