How Japan fell in love with Irish culture

Taoiseach Micheál Martin wraps up his four-day visit to Japan today with a visit to Hiroshima where he will lay a wreath at the cenotaph commemorating those who died after the United States dropped an atomic bomb on the city in 1945.

It’s been a hectic few days with an itinerary that included the opening of Ireland House in Tokyo, which at more than €20 million is the largest capital project overseas since the foundation of the State, as well as a visit to Osaka to visit the Irish pavilion at Expo 2025, an international exposition that is expected to attract more than 28 million people.

Irish Times Beijing-based correspondent Denis Staunton explains why this visit is so timely and why it has focused on an economic relationship that has doubled in size over the past decade.

He also explains the deep interest in Irish culture that has been building in Japan, from the development of Irish pubs to the thriving branch of Comhaltas.

Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by John Casey.

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