Tag Archive for: H.E. Mr. Norio Maruyama

IJA Bounenkai End of Year Party 2024 | PHOTO GALLERY

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The IJA Council would like to extend a heartfelt gratitude to everyone who attended the annual IJA Bounenkai End of Year Party on 28th November at Yamamori Izakaya Japas & Sake in Dublin. Your presence truly made the evening special, and we hope you enjoyed celebrating the culmination of this year’s hard work.

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Catherine Grennell-Whyte, IJA Chairperson, warmly welcomed event guests and initiated the festivities with a traditional Japanese Kanpai toast.

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We would like to express our deepest appreciation to H.E. Mr. Norio Maruyama, Ambassador of Japan to Ireland and IJA Patron, for honouring us with his presence and delivering a heartfelt farewell message as he concludes his service in Ireland and prepares to return to Japan.

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Our sincere thanks also go to the IJA event team and our exceptional hosts at Yamamori Izakaya Japas & Sake for their warm hospitality and for ensuring the event was a resounding success.

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Here’s to creating more wonderful memories together in the future!

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Photos: Eddie Hughes & Miyu Ishikawa

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Ireland Japan Association Hosts Annual Chairperson’s Lunch

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On 22nd October, the Ireland Japan Association (IJA), led by Chairperson Catherine Grennell-Whyte, proudly welcomed representatives of the IJA Corporate members to its annual Chairperson’s Lunch.

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This exclusive event honoured our esteemed corporate community while providing a unique platform for networking, collaboration, and the discussion of shared goals for the future.

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Catherine Grennell-Whyte, IJA Chairperson together with H.E. Mr. Norio Maruyama, Ambassador of Japan to Ireland and Mr. Hideo Yura, Director General, JETRO London

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Held at the luxurious Merrion Hotel in the heart of Dublin, the event marked a significant new chapter for the Ireland Japan Association, with emphasis on creating value for corporate members with a goal of providing the corporate community with meaningful opportunities to network, exchange ideas, and collaborate in ways that drive growth for businesses while strengthening the Ireland-Japan relationship.

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Catherine Grennell-Whyte opened the event with greetings in Japanese and expressed her gratitude to the IJA corporate members for their unwavering support and contributions to the association.

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At the Ireland Japan Association, we believe that the relationship between Ireland and Japan is built on the principles of a strong sense of community, a commitment to shared growth, and the pursuit of innovation in business, culture, and education. We are more than just an association; unique in our offering, we are a vibrant community of like-minded individuals and organizations who understand that the success of one contributes to the success of all.

To our corporate members, we are proud to have you as part of this community. Your engagement with the Ireland Japan Association is about more than just business – it’s about building long-lasting partnerships that bring value to your organizations while contributing to the wider economic and cultural landscape. – Catherine Grennell-Whyte, IJA Chairperson

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The IJA was honored to host distinguished guests, including IJA Patron H.E. Mr. Norio Maruyama, Ambassador of Japan to Ireland, and Mr. Hideo Yura, Director General of the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO). JETRO plays a critical role in promoting economic opportunities between Japan and Europe, and the organisation’s presence and support to the IJA serve as a testament to the potential for even deeper trade and investment ties.

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A special thank you goes to our event hosts and the exceptional staff at The Merrion Hotel and the IJA Council members whose efforts were instrumental in the preparation of this successful event.

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IJA Chairperson’s Lunch at The Merrion Hotel, Dublin

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IJA Chairperson’s Lunch at The Merrion Hotel, Dublin

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Catherine Grennell-Whyte, IJA Chairperson and Darina Slattery, Oomi Travel and IJA Treasurer

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Catherine Grennell-Whyte, IJA Chairperson and Mary Honohan, PwC Ireland

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IJA Chairperson’s Lunch at The Merrion Hotel, Dublin

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IJA Chairperson’s Lunch at The Merrion Hotel, Dublin

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IJA Corporate Members 2024

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Photos: IJA Archive & Embassy of Japan in Ireland

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IJA Japanese Book Club event featuring Irish writer and poet Nell Regan | PHOTO GALLERY

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The IJA Japanese Book Club event featuring Irish writer and poet Nell Regan was held on Saturday, 21st September and was hosted by ElectroRoute, an IJA corporate member, in Dublin city center.

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The event provided a special opportunity for book club members and Japanese poetry enthusiasts to meet Nell Regan in person and learn about the book ‘百人一首 – 100 Poems by 100 Poets’, as well as her work translating it into English with James Hadley. Nell’s presentation was captivating, allowing us to delve into the richness of Japanese literature and appreciate her remarkable talent for poetry.

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We extend our gratitude to Ambassador Maruyama for joining the event and reading some of the original poems from the book in Japanese.

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Attendees also had the chance to engage in a traditional Japanese card game and savor delicious, freshly baked Japanese treats provided by Gopan Bakery.

Special thanks to Tsugumi Yamamoto, IJA Vice Chairperson, for coordinating this event, and to our wonderful hosts at ElectroRoute for their excellent hospitality throughout the event.

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IJA Council members and corporate representatives visit Japan House in Dublin

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On 10th and 12th of July, H.E. Mr. Norio Maruyama, Ambassador of Japan to Ireland, welcomed the IJA Council members and representatives of the IJA Corporate members to Japan House in Dublin to discuss the IJA work and activities in Ireland as well as look at cooperation options in the future.

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L-R: Neil Cowhey (Dillon Eustace/IJA Council), Raymond Hegarty (IJA Council), Azumi Uchitani (IJA Council), Catherine Grennell-Whyte (IJA Chairperson), Norio Maruyama (Ambassador of Japan to Ireland), Teresa Weafer (Google Ireland) and Hiro Ino (IJA Council).

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Catherine Grennell-Whyte, IJA Chairperson, Tsugumi Yamamoto, IJA Vice Chairperson, IJA Council members – Hiro Ino, Neil Cowhey (Dillon Eustace), Raymond Hegarty, Azumi Uchitani, Eddie Hughes, Hirofumi Noda (ElectroRoute), and the IJA corporate representatives – Darina Slattery (Oomi Travel), Mary Honohan (PwC Ireland), Jun Watanabe (ALPS Electric) and Teresa Weafer (Google) attended.

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The IJA Council thanks the Ambassador Maruyama and his team for the warm welcome and hospitality during the visit.

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L-R: Jun Watanabe (ALPS Electric), Hirofumi Noda (ElectroRoute/IJA Council), Darina Slattery (Oomi Travel), Norio Maruyama (Ambassador of Japan to Ireland), Tsugumi Yamamoto (IJA Vice Chairperson), Mary Honohan (PwC Ireland) and Eddie Hughes (IJA Council).

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Photos: Embassy of Japan

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Dr. and Mrs. Ushioda Scholarship 2024 Award Ceremony | PHOTO GALLERY

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The Ushioda Scholarship Award Ceremony was held on Friday, June 28th and was hosted by the IJA Corporate Member Oomi Travel in Dublin. 2024 award winner Eloise Maguire was warmly welcomed and congratulated by Catherine Grennell-Whyte, the Chairperson of IJA, Ms. Paula Kelly, the Ushioda Scholarship coordinator, and members of the Ushioda family, Dr. Ema Ushioda and Kazi Ushioda.

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We were honored to have H.E. Mr. Norio Maruyama, Ambassador of Japan, in attendance at the award ceremony. The Ambassador shared his well wishes and words of encouragement with Eloise as she prepares for her upcoming studies in Japan.

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From L-R: Catherine Grennell-Whyte, IJA Chairperson, Kazi Ushioda, Dr. Ema Ushioda, Eloise Maguire, DCU and H.E. Mr. Norio Maruyama, Ambassador of Japan to Ireland

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.Eloise Maguire, who is studying Applied Languages and Translation Studies at DCU, has been selected as the recipient of the prestigious Ushioda Scholarship in 2024. Eloise will travel to Japan where she will be studying at Rikkyo University in Tokyo.

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‘It is a massive honour to receive this scholarship and I plan to make the most of it during my study abroad! While immersing myself in the Japanese language and improving my language skills, I hope to experience the culture and way of life in Japan.’ – Eloise Maguire

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Catherine Grennell-Whyte, IJA Chairperson and Eloise Maguire, DCU

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We express our gratitude to Laura O’Grady from Oomi Travel for her hospitality, as well as to Graham Ryan and Miyu Iskikawa from Yamamori for the delightful Japanese refreshments. A special thank you to everyone who joined us at the event to celebrate Eloise’s remarkable achievement.

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Dr. and Mrs. Ushioda Scholarship was established in 2019 in honour of Dr. and Mrs. Ushioda’s major contribution to the development of the Ireland Japan Association and Ireland-Japan relations, and to underpin the association’s strong commitment to supporting Japanese studies in Ireland.

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Speech by Catherine Grennell-Whyte, IJA Chairperson

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Speech by H.E. Mr. Norio Maruyama, Ambassador of Japan to Ireland

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Speech by Paula Kelly, Ushioda Scholarship Coordinator

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Catherine Grennell-Whyte, IJA Chairperson, H.E. Mr. Norio Maruyama, Ambassador of Japan to Ireland and Eloise Maguire, DCU

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