THE TAOISEACH and Prime Minister of Japan have agreed to strengthen and deepen bilateral relations between Ireland and Japan, as the two today marked the sixty-fifth anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Micheál Martin strongly declared their intention to take relations and exchanges to a new, higher level, and both stated that they send with the majority of the international community in condemning Russia's military aggression against Ukraine.
Today is the second day of the Taoiseach's visit to Japan.
Speaking after the meeting, the Taoiseach said he conveyed to Mr Kishida his sincere condolences on the recent death of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
"He was a truly significant and respected figure on the global stage," Martin said.
"Ireland and Japan enjoy an excellent bilateral relationship – I am pleased to be in Tokyo as we mark 65 years of diplomatic relations – and I want to thank Prime Minister Kishida for the productive and warm discussion we had today," he continued.
"We are agreed on the need to advance and deepen further our relationship, and we were pleased to adopt a new 'Ireland-Japan Joint Leaders’ Statement' to reflect our commitment to expanding our political, economic, and people-to-people ties in the period ahead.
"It is an excellent foundation for work and I look forward to its implementation."
Warm welcome from Prime Minister Kishida.
Conveyed sincere condolences from the Irish people on the death of former Prime Minister Abe.
We agreed to advance and deepen Ireland’s relations with Japan, based on shared values of freedom democracy, human rights and rule of law. pic.twitter.com/TP3E1wyMdf— Micheál Martin (@MichealMartinTD) July 20, 2022
It was noted that two-way trade between Ireland and Japan is now valued at almost €20 billion.
"The Prime Minister has spoken particularly eloquently of his and Japan’s commitment to a nuclear weapons-free world. Ireland’s engagement with Japan on disarmament and non-proliferation is extensive and of long-standing. We are at one in our wish to see a world free from the threat of nuclear weapons," the Taoiseach said.
The Taoiseach also invited the Prime Minister to Ireland, who last visited the country in 2017 as foreign Minister on the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
The Taoiseach visited the site of the planned new Irish Embassy and state agencies offices in Tokyo.
Ireland House will be the location for the new Irish Embassy in Japan and will also include offices for Tourism Ireland, Bord Bia, Enterprise Ireland and the IDA.
The building will house a multi-use event and exhibition space as well as being a meeting place for the Irish community in Japan and a home for the Irish Ambassador to Japan.
Construction will begin in late August and is expected to be finished in 2024.
The project will cost €21.4 million, of which €7.7m was the site purchase cost, making it the single biggest overseas capital investment by an Irish government.
See More: Japan, Micheál Martin, Taoiseach
