Taoiseach discusses deepening trade links with Japan PM
In his opening remarks, Mr Ishiba welcomed Mr Martin by saying he was "delighted" that the Taoiseach had chosen Japan to be the first Asian country he visited following his election.
He noted that this was Mr Martin's fifth visit to his country, most recently three years ago.
The Prime Minister said 2017 will mark the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic links between Japan and Ireland.
He said he hoped the two countries could advance a wide ranging "concrete cooperation" in areas such as security, the economy, agriculture, digital, and cultural exchanges.
In his opening remarks, the Taoiseach said it was a "great pleasure" to be back in Tokyo and he looked forward to discussing the ongoing partnership between Ireland and Japan.
He said that the friendship between the two countries was "anchored in shared values" - such as an "outstanding commitment to democracy" and the an "international rules-based order".
The Taoiseach said there were "very strong culture, educational and people to people relationships" and that was reflected in his visit.
Mr Martin said he was looking forward to opening 'Ireland House' which will house the new Irish Embassy.
The 302 Military Police band played both national anthems at the Prime Minister's residence, the Kanti, before Mr Martin and Mr Ishiba inspected the colour party.
Tomorrow, Mr Martin will travel to the southern city of Osaka and visit Expo 25 where Ireland has a major presence aimed at heightening its trade and cultural presence in Japan.
On his final day, he visits Hiroshima.
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Irish Examiner
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- Irish Examiner
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After calling out Ireland specifically for benefiting from US companies, Mr Trump last month said tariffs on pharmaceuticals would come 'very soon,' which would help bring multinationals back to America. Historically, Ireland's pharmaceutical sector has been defined by stable demand and high-paying salaries, particularly within the industry's epicentre in Cork, which hosts pharma giants Merck, AbbVie, Gilead Sciences, Pfizer, Johnson and Johnson, Thermo Fischer Scientific, Eli Lilly and GE Healthcare, among others. The concentration of these firms has made Ireland's southern region the wealthiest area in the European Union (EU), recording the largest GDP per capita in 2022, according to Eurostat. Despite this economic strength, collective bargaining in the sector has remained relatively limited. However, with rising uncertainty and looming tariff fears, momentum for unionisation is growing. 'We saw a sharp spike in union membership following Trump's 'Liberation Day' announcement,' says Siptu Manufacturing Divisional Organiser Neil McGowan. The trade union currently counts some 13,500 members from the pharmaceutical industry, the majority of whom are based in Cork. 'There's a lot of uncertainty in the air at the moment. I think Liberation Day made a lot of workers sit up and think, 'Are we really ready for what could happen?' Mr McGowan told the Irish Examiner. However, unionisation efforts have presented mixed results, he said, with some companies refusing to recognise or interact with Siptu when addressing worker disputes. 'It can be incredibly frustrating at times. We have members who want us there, who want to bargain collectively, and their company refuses to acknowledge us,' Mr McGowan said. But the fight doesn't stop there. Last month, trade union members at the Kinsale branch of US pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly welcomed a Labour Court recommendation urging their employer to allow for collective representation by Siptu during workplace disputes. Union members at the Kinsale branch of US pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly welcomed a Labour Court recommendation urging their employer to allow for collective representation by Siptu during workplace disputes. '[Eli] Lilly staff are on a journey for recognition, but senior management doesn't want to acknowledge us,' says Siptu sector organiser, Andrea Cleere. 'It has been denying our members the right to be supported by the union in individual workplaces, which is contrary Workplace Relations Commission's Code of Practice." But as Ms Cleere points out, Labour Court findings are reliant on the company choosing to acknowledge them. 'This is the problem with Ireland's weak voluntarist model of industrial relations. 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Irish Examiner
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Antiques: Nine American gold eagle $10 coins make €10,000 in Dublin
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Irish Examiner
an hour ago
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The Menu: Put it on a plate for the people of Palestine
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So, I have found it increasingly difficult to wax lyrical about delicious dishes and magnificent meals while a 'first world' state weaponises hunger as part of its ethnic cleansing of its own population. Is it any wonder there is such a thing as 'comfort food'? Any means of making a difference, however small, is invaluable beyond belief. One Plate for Palestine (July 22-27), is a wonderful fundraising initiative from Barbara Nealon (Kinsale's St Francis Provisions) and Beverley Mathews (L'Atitude 51, in Cork City) to support charities working in Gaza to combat starvation, and to raise awareness of, and maintain focus on, the genocidal actions of the Israelis. One Plate for Palestine is inviting Irish food and hospitality businesses — restaurants, cafés, bars, food trucks, market stalls, etc — from all over Ireland to add a special Palestinian-themed dish to their menus, with all proceeds from the sale of that dish going directly to Gaza. Food businesses can either create a Palestinian-themed dish (or drink) of their own or follow an existing recipe, using any or all of the following ingredients: Palestinian za'atar, sumac, labneh, hummus, Palestinian olive oil, and Palestinian olives. If you wanted, you could even serve up those gorgeous Palestinian goodies with good sourdough bread and a little salt, a super supper I've enjoyed many times in the past. Better again, restaurants can serve up One Plate for Palestine's suggested dish, Prátaí do Phalaistín/Potatoes for Palestine, a simple yet delicious combination which brings together the two food cultures in a symbolic nod to the historical ties that bind Palestine and Ireland, in particular a shared history of hunger and starvation as a result of colonial oppression. The dish comprises new season potatoes served up with any or all of the aforementioned traditional Palestinian foodstuffs and, if you've only ever eaten new spuds with too much butter — no crime there! — I think you'll be blown away by how well they work with the Palestinian additions. The goal is to raise at least €25,000 for charities working on the ground in Gaza, such as Gaza Go Bragh and World Central Kitchen, reputable charities that have been doing incredible work to bring fresh water and meals to the people in extremely challenging conditions. So, come on, Irish food world, let's see you stepping up, not only to feature a One Plate for Palestine on your menus, but also to spread the word amongst friends, colleagues and comrades in the industry and beyond, to reach as wide an audience as possible. This initiative is not just aimed at the hospitality sector because the other side of the equation involves Irish diners who are invited to also join in by supporting local restaurants participating in One Plate for Palestine. Or you could even run your own One Plate for Palestine fundraising supper evening at home for family and friends? After all, what finer seasoning could such a dish, any shared dish, have than to be sprinkled with love, hope and humanity. Instagram: @oneplateforpalestine FOODIE FARE Happy 10th birthday to Lott's & Co and, what's more, this birthday belle is the one dishing out the gifts with all manner of titbits, treats, giveaways and promotions for customers, across their three Dublin stores including a Beggar's Bush Birthday Bash (July 10) with prizes including hampers, dining vouchers, and the chance to win free catering delivered to your door. Instagram: @lottsandco Fans of Julia's Lobster Truck, in the Burren, will be delighted to hear that she is very close to securing a new pitch for one of Ireland's finest food trucks but the enforced absence saw Julia Hemingway take a serendipitous turn to teaching at home, where she now offers wonderful Seafood Cookery Experiences for 2-8 people in her own Burren kitchen, near Carron, Co Clare, including hands-on cooking (poaching and preparing lobster or crab, mussels and clams), followed by a delicious seafood feast at the kitchen table. Instagram: @JuliasLobsterTruck TODAY'S SPECIAL Ogam sauces South Korean food is most certainly catching the global imagination with Korean chicken set to be come as ubiquitous on Irish menus as Thai curry or lasagne. But when a cuisine and a dish in particular dish suddenly trends to that extent, quality can vary wildly which is why I am so delighted to have Korean Jay Choi as a near neighbour in Cork, not least because of I get to sample her new sauces/marinades. With the tagline, 'Born in South Korea, Made in Ireland', Jay's Korean BBQ Spicy Gochujang and Korean BBQ Original are not only stunning, but are real workhorses in the kitchen. Sweet and savoury in equal measures, with funky, fruity flavours, they have myriad applications in the kitchen once combined with a little imagination. A quick drizzle over rice vermicelli salad, with thinly sliced carrot, cucumber and peppers, was quite transformational; a dollop in homemade garlic aioli is my new BBQ burger sauce of choice; and, yeah, it makes for sublime Korean chicken wings, when cooked over charcoal.
