The Killester Travel group joins IJA as a Corporate member

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Ireland Japan Association (IJA) is delighted to welcome The Killester Travel group on board IJA as a Corporate member and is looking forward to a long lasting and successful cooperation.

The Killester Travel group have been at the forefront of Business, Sport and Leisure Travel for more than three decades. Since it was established in 1977 the company has grown to become one of Ireland’s leading Travel and Sports event companies.

The Killester Travel group consists of Theflyinggolfer.com , Munster Sports Travel, Leinster Sports Travel, Ulster Sports Travel, Kerry Sports Travel.

As official carrier to both the Ulster and Munster rugby teams we are in a position to provide a full range of supporter and corporate rugby packages to all Heineken Cup and Rabo Direct league games.

We also have an official allocation of tickets for Croke Park, Thomond Park, RDS and the new Aviva Stadium, Lansdowne Road and offer a range of quality corporate hospitality and supporter packages for both home and away games in the 6 Nations Championship, Autumn Internationals and World cup tournaments.

Theflyinggolfer.com golfing holidays section boasts a thirty-five year track record for quality driven corporate and leisure golf tours and travel on every continent and continue to search out and develop new destinations and innovative golf tours.

The Killester Travel also have a full selection of Sun, Ski and Cruise holidays for individuals, groups and families.

If you wish to learn more about The Killester Travel group and services they provide, please visit their website: https://www.killestertravel.com

Read the Tokyo Journal for FREE | Exclusive to the IJA Members only

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We are delighted to let you know that we have secured an exclusive opportunity for the IJA members to have full access to the digital version of the Tokyo Journal, one of the oldest English magazines from Japan sold across bookstores in Japan and internationally.

If you are a Corporate or Individual member of the IJA and would like to get free access to the quarterly issue of the Tokyo Journal, please contact us by email: info@ija.ie and we will send you log-in details to access the newest issue online.

The magazine was established in 1981 and since the early ’80s, it has been distributed in major bookstores throughout Japan as well as internationally. For over three decades, the Tokyo Journal has provided a glimpse into Japanese culture, all sectors of life and styles, entertainment, and events, often through the eyes of those who have travelled and lived there.

In 2017, Tokyo Journal received the Japan Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Travel and Tourism’s Japan Travel Agency Commissioner’s Award.

 

 

Experience Japan 10th Anniversary Concert | Dublin/Galway

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To celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the Experience Japan Festival, two very special music concerts of Japanese music will take place at the beginning of April in Dublin and Galway.

You will have the opportunity to enjoy performance of four champion Japanese performers including Hiro Hayashida (former Kodo member and global award-winning Taiko Master), Miyu Kobayashi (Shinobue & Taiko), Luke Hayashida (Taiko) and for this special event, Hibiki Sawada on Shamisen.

Concert dates:

Seats are limited so make sure you book your tickets soon!

All performers will also join Experience Japan festival in Farmleigh on Sunday, 7th April for a fusion of Irish and Japanese music with leading Irish musicians and Experience Japan  Taiko Team.

More information about Experience Japan festival can be found HERE!

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Robots in Education, Healthcare and Welfare. Recent Trends in Japan. | Seminar

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Experience Japan and UCD Japan are inviting you to a seminar ‘Robots in Education, Healthcare and Welfare. Recent Trends in Japan.’ presented by Prof. Nobuhiro Sakata (Dokkyo Medical University, Japan).

Event will take place on Friday, 5th April at 1.30 p.m. at Bank of Ireland, Montrose Branch, Dublin.

For more details, please click HERE!

The Yamato Dynasty & the Imperial Succession in Japan | Seminar

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Japan’s 85-year-old monarch, Emperor Akihito, who will abdicate at the end of April 2019 has became a symbol of peace and reconciliation in Japan. He will step down on 30th April, to be succeeded the next day by Crown Prince Naruhito.

To mark this occasion, the Embassy of Japan, Experience Japan and UCD Japan are organizing a seminar ‘The Yamato Dynasty & the Imperial Succession in Japan’ presented by Dr Declan Downey (RAH, UCD School of History) which will be followed by a screening of ‘His Majesty the Emperor: 30 Years Since His Majesty’s Accession’.

Event will take place on Sunday, 31st March at 1.30 p.m. at the Chester Beatty Library, Dublin Castle, Dublin 2. This event is free for everyone and no advance registration is required.

For more information, please click HERE!

Event is organized by the Embassy of Japan, Experience Japan and UCD Japan.

IJA Annual General Meeting 2019 | Review

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The 29th Annual General Meeting for the Ireland Japan Association took place on Wednesday, 20th March 2019 the AIB Bankcentre, Dublin.

During her speech, Darina Slattery, IJA Chairperson, thanked the outgoing Council members for their work, participation and team effort throughout the past year, Embassy of Japan for continuous support to the IJA, and everyone who attended the AGM.

Darina Slattery noted that 2018 was a very busy year for the IJA – 20 business and culture events were organized throughout the past year (16 events in 2018 and 4 events in 2019), including Origami and Ikebana workshops, four Japanese language courses, Mrs. Ushioda’s book launch celebration, Social night and Student membership launch, Business briefings in cooperation with the IJA Corporate members, trips to Japanese gardens in Tramore and Christmas experience in Causey farm, IJA Annual Dinner, Annual Golf Outing, Bilingual language seminar, Japanese Noh ‘Between the Stones’ workshops and Bounenkai celebration at the end of the year.

IJA also supported five organizations with donations in 2018: Dublin School for Japanese Children (DSJC), Experience Japan festival in Dublin, Japanese Film Festival, 16th Japanese Speech Contest and Pieta House.

Darina Slattery informed that IJA member’s network has 35 corporate members and 44 individual members. Two new corporate members have recently joined the IJA – Grant Thornton Ireland and First Names Group. Darina Slattery thanked AIB for continuous support and decision to remain as a Patron member for 2019.

Summary of IJA Financial Statements for 2018 was given to the AGM attendees, membership subscription fees were approved for 2019/2020 and the new IJA Council members were announced.

Darina Slattery thanked Karl O’Reilly (KWE Ireland) and Brian Marconi (JTI Ireland) for their work at the IJA Council in the past years. Both have stepped down at the AGM after three years of service at the IJA Council. Darina Slattery welcomed two new Council members – Verity Swan who will represent IJA Individual members and Tsugumi Yamamoto (Grant Thornton Ireland) who will represent Corporate members at the IJA Council in 2019.

The newly elected IJA Council for 2019:

  1. Darina Slattery, Unique Japan Tours (Chairperson)
  2. Yasuyuki Ozeki, JETRO (Vice-Chairperson)
  3. Donagh Morris, Individual Member
  4. Hiro Ino, Individual Member
  5. Paula Kelly, Individual Member
  6. Raymond Hegarty, Individual Member
  7. Verity Swan, Individual Member
  8. Eoghan Howe, BOI Corporate Banking
  9. Graham Ryan, Yamamori
  10. Neil Maher, Mitsubishi Electric
  11. Niall Moriarty, AIB Corporate Banking
  12. Shane Geraghty, Dillon Eustace
  13. Tsugumi Yamamoto, Grant Thornton Ireland

 

EU-Japan News – March 2019 Issue Available Now

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EU-Japan NEWS is the quarterly newsletter of the EU-Japan Centre launched in 2003 and containing EU-Japan-related news and features on topics of interest to EU and Japan businesses and public bodies.

The newest issue of the March 2019 Newsletter is available now with the EU and Japan related news, partnering opportunities, Enterprise Europe network news and lots of other useful information and links.

EU-Japan Centre for Industrial Cooperation is a unique venture between the European Commission and the Japanese government. It is a non-profit organisation established as an affiliate of the Institute of International Studies and Training (IIST). It aims at promoting all forms of industrial, trade and investment cooperation between the EU and Japan and at improving EU and Japanese companies’ competitiveness and cooperation by facilitating exchanges of experience and know-how between EU and Japanese businesses.

You can read full March 2019 Newsletter here!

Welcome to the 17th Japanese Speech Contest in Ireland

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In order to encourage and promote Japanese language education in Ireland, JLTI and the Embassy of Japan in Ireland jointly host an annual Japanese speech contest.

This year the 17th Japanese Speech Contest will be held on Saturday, 9th March at the UCD, Dublin.

Date: Saturday, 9th March 2019
Time: 1 p.m.
Venue: William Fry Theatre, Sutherland School of Law, UCD, Dublin 4

Please see the invitation to IJA members here!

Everybody is welcome and if you are interested to attend, please see event timetable and map here!

The event is supported by The Japan Foundation, The Japan Business Society in Ireland, Department of Education and Science, Unique Japan Tours and IJA.

IJA Annual Dinner 2019 brings together IJA members, friends and supporters

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Each year, IJA Annual Dinner brings together our members, friends, and supporters to celebrate and enjoy one of the biggest and most enjoyable events of the year.

The evening began with a reception at The Westbury Hotel, Dublin, followed by speeches by Ms Darina Slattery, IJA Chairperson, H.E. Mrs Mari Miyoshi, Ambassador of Japan in Ireland, Mr Mark Egan, Head of Competitions and Performance, and Ms Catherine Grennell-Whyte, Finnair.

The guests enjoyed a delicious 3-course dinner in the beautiful Grafton Suite which was followed by Prize Giving sponsored by IJA Corporate members – AIB, A&L Goodbody, ANA, Bank of Ireland, Dillon Eustace, KWE Ireland, PM Group, SuMi TRUST, Unique Japan Tours and Yamamori. The Grand Prize this year was 2 return flights to Japan sponsored by Finnair, IJA 2019 Travel Partner.

(Please click on the images to enlarge)

We would like to thank everyone who attended the Annual Dinner, our Corporate members for supporting this event and sponsoring amazing prizes. Big thanks to our Patron member – AIB – for continuous support and our Travel Partner – Finnair – for sponsoring the Grand Prize.

Our thanks go to the Dublin School for Japanese Children who made all the beautiful origami decorations for the dinner tables and to Mrs Tomoko Ozaki who created wonderful Ikebana flower arrangements for the event. We are thanking the Embassy of Japan who provided Japanese sake for the event reception, and The Westbury Hotel for hosting our event and providing excellent service before and during the event.

We would like to thank Mr Raymond Hegarty who agreed to undertake MC duties at the event, and our event team – Ms Paula Kelly, Mr Hiro Ino, Mr Donagh Morris and Mr Karl O’Reilly who helped before and after the event, and made sure that everybody can enjoy a wonderful relaxing evening.

Photos: Donagh Morris

 

First Names Group joins IJA as a Corporate member

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Ireland Japan Association (IJA) is delighted to welcome professional services provider First Names Group on board IJA as a Corporate member and is looking forward to a long lasting and successful cooperation.

First Names Group is a leading independent provider of corporate, trust, fund and real estate administration services with a network of strategically located offices across the globe, including Dublin and Shannon, Co. Clare.

In Ireland, company focuses on providing corporate services for international clients restructuring their business/organisation or expanding into the Irish and European markets across a range of industry sectors – ICT, pharma, biomedical, manufacturing, aircraft leasing, food and beverage and financial services, among others.

We recognise that one size does not fit all and take the time to understand our clients’ individual needs.

‘We provide a full suite of corporate services to meet those needs, including but not limited to company formation, company secretarial, domiciliation, financial administration and accounting, and HR administration and payroll services. We are director-led, with a clear focus on professional qualifications among employees, with many accountants, lawyers and chartered secretaries providing the necessary experience.’

Above all we are a people business.

If you wish to learn more about First Names Group and services they provide, please visit their website: http://www.firstnames.com/ireland