Flogging beef tongue and Irish whiskey: Taoiseach and ministers travel to Japan in major trade push
Christina Finn
TAOISEACH MICHEÁL MARTIN is due to travel to Japan tomorrow, where he will visit Tokyo, Osaka, and Hiroshima.
A total of six ministers, not including the Taoiseach, have travelled or are due to travel to Japan this year for a major charm offensive trade push amidst the threat of US tariffs.
Enterprise Minister Peter Burke and Agriculture Minister Martin Heydon, Minister of State Hildegarde Naughton, Media Minister Patrick O'Donovan have already made the trip this year, with Higher Education Minister James Lawless heading there during the summer and Transport Minister Darragh O'Brien due to travel in the autumn.
Japan is Ireland's second-largest trading partner in the Asia-Pacific region, with annual two-way trade totalling €21.5 billion.
There is a big demand for some Irish produce, such as beef, Irish whiskey, seafood and grain products.
Irish beef tongue 'very big' in Japan
Irish beef tongue is 'very big' in Japan, said one official, who added that Donegal oysters and Flavins oatmeal are among highly-sought after commodities in Japan.
Japan is the third biggest market for Irish whiskey and the market is growing. In 2020, 55,000 cases of Irish whiskey were sold to Japan, with 206,000 cases sold last year.
Advertisement
With the deadline for Europe to strike a trade deal with the US approaching, Ireland has been on the charm offensive with other nations in a bid to attempt to fill the gap of any trading holes that might emerge. Market diversification is the main show in town right now, said one official.
Japan is a growing export market with over 300 Enterprise Ireland clients doing business in Japan and over 50 Irish companies having representations or presence in the country.
The aim of the Ireland Japan 2025 programme is part of the government's high-level trade mission programme whereby ministers are tasked with showcasing Ireland's world-class agri-food sector.
Food market, Osaka
Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
Japan, which has a population of 123 million people, holds lots of opportunities for Ireland, particularly when a cloud of uncertainty is on the horizon.
The country gained access to Irish beef in 2013 and sheep-meat access in 2019.
The Irish agri-food sector exported 34% dairy to Japan, along with 28% pig meat, 10% fish, 12% beverages and 6% animal feed. There is a big push in particular to sell Irish whiskey and gin to Japan.
Expo 2025 Osaka
As part of the Taoiseach's visit, Martin will attend the Ireland Pavilion at Expo 2025, which is a key part of the Ireland Japan 2025 programme.
A year long series of activities at the Expo have been designed to increase Ireland's presence and visibility in Japan and this includes the opening of the new Ireland House.
Related Reads
'Wait and see': Taoiseach says Trump's extension on tariff threat could stifle economic growth
Trump says 50% tariffs on EU delayed until 9 July after 'very nice call' with von der Leyen
Potential risk of differential tariff rates to all-island economy averted for now, Cabinet to hear
Irish Pavilion at Osaka Expo 2025
Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
The overall approved budget for the programme is €16.8 million over the three years from 2023 to 2026. Tánaiste Simon Harris has said Ireland completed its pavilion on time and within budget.
Designed by Office of Public Works architects, the Ireland Pavilion is inspired by the ancient Celtic motif of the triskele. The Ireland Pavilion serves as a hub for Irish organisations, Team Ireland and the diaspora, and involves an immersive visitor experience.
It is expected that Expo will attract approximately 28 million visitors, with the government hoping its participation in the Expo will provide a platform for public diplomacy for Ireland.
'Ireland can still remain relatively unknown among the wider Japanese public. The Ireland pavilion has been operating at maximum capacity on a daily basis. We reckon that in excess of six million visitors have attended Expo already,' Tánaiste Simon Harris has said.
As part of the Taoiseach's trip next week, he will also visit the Peace Memorial Park and Museum at Hiroshima to mark the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima City and Nagasaki City by the United States in 1945.
Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article.
Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.
Learn More
Support The Journal
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Examiner
27 minutes ago
- Irish Examiner
Irish Examiner view: In the era of AI, education is at a premium
While the rush by companies to crowbar artificial intelligence into every product imaginable continues — even if it's not actually artificial intelligence and just tools that are good at predicting the answer you're looking for — the technology is already showing detrimental effects on the human mind. A study published this month by researchers at MIT, with an admittedly very small sample size, suggests that the use of ChatGPT and similar tools results in reduced cognition, which is essential for independent critical thinking: 'Over four months, LLM [large language model] users consistently underperformed at neural, linguistic, and behavioural levels. These results raise concerns about the long-term educational implications of LLM reliance and underscore the need for deeper inquiry into AI's role in learning. The rush from AI opponents online was to say something like 'AI makes you stupid', but that is both inaccurate and unfair. Still, the technology isn't going away any time soon, and quite apart from the environmental and, apparently, mental damage we had a warning just this past week that AI could come to the detriment of Irish jobs. Members of the AI Advisory Council — made up of 15 independent experts who advise the Government on Ireland's AI strategy — appeared at an Oireachtas committee to say that they predict software engineers, junior lawyers, and customer service jobs to be the first to take the hit. They note that entry-level programming jobs are already being replaced by AI, as the industry behind the technology applies it to itself first. But whether the technology ends up augmenting or replacing the humans in the loop remains to be seen, largely because most large-scale experiments seem to be giving mixed results at best. Tesla finally launched its seemingly eternally promised autonomous driving taxis in Texas (with a person sitting in the front seat by the way, even if not driving), only for them to make a plethora of basic driving errors. While the shareholders seem happy, especially after the first quarter's debacle on the back of Elon Musk's dalliance with government and despite slumping Tesla car sales generally, whether this will prove a triumph in the long road — pun very much intended — remains to be seen. That doesn't mean that the tech giants aren't prepared to gamble big on automation or artificial intelligence. Last week, Amazon, which employs some 6,500 people here in Ireland and 1.5m worldwide, told staff that AI would probably mean a reduction in the total number of employees, possibly replacing some of its current corporate staff. Microsoft is preparing to lay off another 6,000 people while it simultaneously increases spending on AI. The cuts are across sales and other teams, and the talk is of 'trimming' the workforce and 'aligning it' with company strategy (it still has 2.28m other employees). Microsoft should be warned, though, about expecting an AI solution to bridge any workforce gap: Payments platform Klarna laid off 700 people in 2022 only to have to scramble to rehire many when its AI tool wasn't up to the task of customer service. The head of the AI company Anthropic has claimed that half of all entry-level jobs could be replaced by artificial intelligence — but then, he would say that, wouldn't he? That said, the IMF has previously noted that as much as 60% of jobs in advanced economies are exposed to AI, and not all for the better. Good news, then, that in recent weeks University College Cork has risen in the international university rankings, holding a space in the top 1% globally. It shows that quality education is still in demand, and with it the training in critical thinking and reasoning that will stand to the whole of society in the long run. There are ways that AI tools and apps can be beneficial, but right now the biggest return on investment for the technology has been wanton devastation of climate and copyright. Employment equality With the last school now shut for the summer, we face into a time that prior to covid would have been increasingly fraught for working parents — not just keeping their children entertained, but physically kept hale and hearty while they are off working in an office. The rise of hybrid, flexible, and remote working options has, if not put paid to that, at least made it more easy to navigate for some, though not all. And it must be acknowledged that a great many jobs have never been able to allow for remote or hybrid options, such as retail or manufacturing. Still, for parents of young and not so young children, being able to be physically present in their youngsters' lives represents time reclaimed, with all the emotional and relationship development benefits that brings. Doubly so for the parents or carers of children with disabilities, for whom summer camps and other such activities might be a pipe dream. One might expect that remote and hybrid working, meanwhile, would have levelled the playing field for our disabled citizens. And, while there is evidence generally that more people with disabilities have been able to access employment in the Western world, Ireland is lagging behind. Last week's Feelgood pages noted that Ireland's disability employment rate of 32.6% is not only way below the EU average of 51.3%, but is the absolute bottom of the EU table. More than 1.1m people in this republic have at least one long-lasting condition according to census figures, with some 350,000 experiencing difficulty taking part in activities, and just over 300,000 experiencing a difficulty working at a job or attending school or college. Not all disabilities are visible. Disabled workers find a plethora of obstacles in their way, from losing their social protection payments to the interview and testing process, to not even being part of the conversation because they are not targeted for recruitment. Many companies offer adaptations to work environments, and there are other supports available to firms. The American civil rights activist Fannie Lou Hamer once said: 'Nobody is free until everybody is free.' Isn't it time we did a better job of ensuring that our citizens who face obstacles are given the same freedom as everybody else?
RTÉ News
an hour ago
- RTÉ News
Taoiseach to begin Japan trip focused on bilateral links
Updated / Monday, 30 Jun 2025 00:01 Taoiseach Micheál Martin is to begin a four-day tour across three cities in Japan, which will focus on bilateral relationships, trade and cultural links. It is the latest in a series of visits by members of the Cabinet to the country following a recent visit by Minister for Enterprise Peter Burke. In Tokyo, the first city on his visit, the Taoiseach will meet with Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba. Japan is Ireland's second largest trading partner in the region, with total trade between the two countries amounting to more than €21 billion. Speaking ahead of his visit, the Taoiseach said: "In an increasingly complex geopolitical environment, Japan is an important strategic partner for Ireland on the global stage." "Ireland and Japan are very like-minded on the major issues facing the world and I look forward to exchanging views with Prime Minister Ishiba and discussing how to strengthen the ties between our two countries." He will also officially open Ireland House Tokyo - the new home of the Irish Embassy, and trade and investment agencies. Mr Martin will then travel to Osaka, where he will attend Expo 2025. The Government hopes the event, with its projected 28 milllion visitors, will raise Ireland's profile in Japan. On the final day of his visit, Mr Martin will travel to Hiroshima, where he will lay a wreath at the Cenotaph to mark 80 years since the atomic bombing. Mr Martin said he was honoured to visit Hiroshima "to remember all those who died as a result of the atomic bombing 80 years ago". "The memorial at Hiroshima is a stark reminder to us all of the devastation wrought by nuclear war and the importance of peace and stability across the world," he said.
Irish Examiner
an hour ago
- Irish Examiner
Revenue ramps up warehoused debt enforcement
The number of court-appointed liquidators for businesses in Ireland jumped in the second quarter, driven by increased Revenue enforcement. Such liquidations rose to 34, compared to 25 in the first quarter, bringing court-appointed liquidations for the first half of the year to 59, more than three times the 19 recorded in the same period last year. Analysis by PwC shows that Revenue was the petitioner of 38 of these 59 cases, suggesting that the elevated enforcement is linked to the conclusion of Revenue's debt warehousing scheme. For the same period last year, there were just five Revenue petitions. Scheme saved 4,500 businesses PwC estimated that more than 4,500 businesses in Ireland were saved from failure through a range of government supports during the covid pandemic, with a number of these firms being placed on 'life support'. The winding-down of the various schemes has resulted in a rise in business insolvencies and liquidations. More than 93% (€3bn) of the business tax debts under the Revenue's debt warehouse scheme have now been settled or secured, with €30m being collected in repayments monthly. According to the Revenue's 2024 annual report, 7,000 businesses, with debts of €100m, failed to engage with Revenue to formulate a repayment plan and face normal collection and enforcement proceedings. 20% rise in insolvencies in Q2 PwC said there was a 20% jump in business insolvencies in the second quarter, to 229, compared with 192 recorded in the first three months. However, despite the jump, total insolvencies for the first half of the year are in line with the number in the same six-month period of 2024. 'This steadying of insolvencies over the six-month timeline shows that the Irish economy and Irish businesses continue to demonstrate resilience amid domestic challenges and international geopolitical uncertainties,' Ken Tyrrell, business recovery partner, PwC Ireland, said. 'However, you cannot ignore the ongoing, global geopolitical risks and prevailing economic uncertainties, and it remains to be seen what the remainder of the year has in store. Businesses and consumers also continue to deal with a higher cost base, driven by domestic and international factors. Organisations should continue to reinvent their businesses using AI and emerging technologies. They should focus on their core strategies, cost base, and actively manage their working capital and cash positions to ensure that they are financially sustainable into the future. The number of retail insolvencies more than doubled in the second quarter to 53. This increase comes after the industry demonstrated strong resilience post-Christmas. However, despite the apparent spike in he second quarter, the total number of retail insolvencies for the first half of the year (78) is still slightly lower compared to the same period of 2024 (84). The hospitality industry recorded 35 insolvencies in the second quarter of 2025, a decrease of 19%, from 43 insolvencies in quarter one. Albeit a decrease quarter on quarter, this level of hospitality insolvencies is closely in line with the average of 39 per quarter observed across 2024 and the first quarter of 2025. Five counties account for 75% of insolvencies: Dublin, Cork, Galway, Kilkenny, and Meath, with Dublin accounting for half of all insolvencies. There was a notable increase in examinerships in the second quarter, with 13 appointments, compared to just one in the first quarter. Of the 13 companies, seven belonged to a single, large group of related companies placed under high court protection, so a more accurate, comparable figure is seven for the second quarter. PwC said the Small Companies Administrative Rescue Process (SCARP) continues to see limited uptake, with 14 cases in the first half of 2025, broadly in line with the 13 cases during the same period of 2024.
