Tag Archive for: IJA

Children Explore Japanese Culture at IJA Origami Workshops in Dublin

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The Ireland Japan Association was delighted to host two Origami Workshops for families together with our friends at Pearse Street Library, Dublin. A huge thank you to everyone who joined us!
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Led by our fantastic and talented origami teacher, Akiko Kidokoro, children enjoyed discovering Japanese culture and traditions through the beautiful art of origami, learning new folding techniques and creating colourful paper shapes and objects.
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Our thanks go to Akiko san for her wonderful presentation, and to the staff at Pearse Street Library for being such welcoming hosts and helping to make the day such a success. A special thank you also goes to Maria Mardiki, IJA Council, for helping bring this wonderful community event to life.
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Akiko Kidokoro, Workshop Presenter, and Maria Mardiki, IJA Council Member

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Photos: Maria Mardiki
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IJA Chairperson Attends the 2026 JET Programme Pre-departure Orientation and Farewell Reception

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At the end of June, Raymond Hegarty, Chairperson of the Ireland Japan Association, was delighted to attend the 2026 JET Programme Ireland Pre-departure Orientation and Farewell Reception, kindly hosted by Ambassador Manabu Miyagawa and the Embassy of Japan in Ireland.
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Raymond Hegarty met with this year’s JET participants and wished them well as they prepare to embark on an exciting new chapter in Japan.
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The Ireland Japan Association extends its warmest congratulations and best wishes to all 38 JET Programme participants. We hope your time in Japan will be a rewarding and unforgettable experience, offering opportunities to grow personally and professionally while discovering the richness of Japanese culture, traditions, and lifestyle.
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We look forward to welcoming you to the IJA community when you return to Ireland!
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Photos: Embassy of Japan in Ireland
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IJA Japanese Book Club Members Meet in Dublin

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A big thank you to everyone who joined our latest IJA Japanese Book Club in-person meeting, held in the wonderful and cosy Brooks Hotel, Dublin.
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We had a lovely afternoon with members sharing their thoughts on books they have enjoyed, are currently reading, or would like to recommend to others. Thank you all for the reading recommendations and the opportunity to discover new authors!
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We are delighted to see our Book Club community continue to grow and look forward to our next meeting on 16th July – online!
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We thank Rie Mishima, IJA Council Member and the Host of the IJA Japanese Book Club, for organising this event.
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If you would like to join the IJA Japanese Book Club, please read more about it here!
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2026 Ushioda Scholarship Award Winner: Isabelle Bates, DCU

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The Ireland Japan Association is delighted to announce that in 2026 the Ushioda Scholarship is awarded to Isabelle Emily Bates, studying Applied Languages and Translation Studies at DCU. Isabelle will be travelling to Japan for an exchange year at Rikkyo University, Tokyo.

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Isabelle is originally from Wexford and has spent the last three years studying Japanese and German in DCU.

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I first fell in love with languages while studying for my Junior Cert, and this is around the time when I began to learn Japanese. I chose to self-study Japanese due to my love of Japanese games and anime at the time, and I was lucky enough to have a very inspirational teacher and be able to study it for my Leaving Certificate.

Since the beginning of my Japanese studies, it has always been my dream to visit Japan and experience all of the wonderful things that the country, culture and people have to offer. If you had told me at 15 that I would now have the opportunity to study for a year in Japan, I would have never believed you, it felt so far away!

It feels incredibly surreal and exciting that I now have this fantastic opportunity and can make my dream come true. I hope that I can make the most of my year, work hard and make lots of lasting connections during my year abroad. – Isabelle Bates

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We would like to thank Paula Kelly, IJA Council Member and the IJA Education, Language and Ushioda Scholarship Subcommittee for support and assistance with the scholarship management and administration process this year.

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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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IJA Conversation Groups Kick-Off Meetup in Dublin

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A huge thank you to everyone who joined us for the IJA Conversation Groups Kick-Off Meetup on Sunday, 23rd May in Dublin! It was wonderful to see such strong support and to meet so many of you in person.
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We would also like to thank Richard Neville, JET Programme Ireland Coordinator at the Embassy of Japan in Ireland, and Raymond Hegarty, IJA Vice Chairperson, who joined us on the day.
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We were impressed by the enthusiasm and interest in practising Japanese and English, and we very much look forward to continuing these conversations online with you all at our IJA Conversation Groups.
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Special thanks go to our Council members, Azumi Uchitani and Yuka Nagano, for organising this event, as well as to the wonderful hosts at the Chester Beatty Library and The Silk Road Cafe for their warm hospitality.
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IJA Annual Dinner 2026 | Photo Gallery

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A huge thank you to everyone who joined us on Friday, 16th June, for the IJA Annual Dinner 2026 at the beautiful College Green Hotel, Dublin.
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It was a special evening celebrating friendship and the strong ties between Ireland and Japan, and we appreciate the friendship and support of our members, friends, corporate partners, and the wider community. Event guests were welcomed by Rie Mishima, Master of Ceremonies, followed by a beautifully presented Kagura dance ‘Toyosaka’ by Kaai Onozaki, Embassy of Japan in Ireland, and opening remarks by Neil Cowhey, IJA Chairperson.
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Neil Cowhey, IJA Chairperson

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It is an immense privilege to stand before you tonight as the Chairperson of the IJA.Looking out across this room, I see a vibrant reflection of the enduring friendshipbetween Ireland and Japan. We are joined tonight by a unique blend of industryleaders, educators, artists, and students. It is this specific mix that makes the IrelandJapan Association so special. – Neil Cowhey, IJA Chairperson.
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Rie Mishima, Master of Ceremonies and the IJA Council Member

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Kaai Onozaki, Embassy of Japan in Ireland

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We were honoured to welcome H.E. Mr. Manabu Miyagawa, Ambassador of Japan to Ireland, and Mrs. Noriko Miyagawa to the celebrations, and we thank the Ambassador for sharing such warm and inspirational remarks with our guests. Read the full speech here!
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The IJA has always played a vital role in making our bilateral relations rich and resilient. I would like to once again extend my heartfelt congratulations on the Association’s receipt of the Foreign Minister’s Commendation last year. – H.E. Mr. Manabu Miyagawa, Ambassador of Japan to Ireland
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H.E. Mr Manabu Miyagawa, Ambassador of Japan to Ireland

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A very special thank you goes to our Guest Speaker, Peter Barrett, CEO of SMBC Aviation Capital, for addressing our guests and sharing his valuable insights and experiences.
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Peter Barrett, CEO, SMBC Aviation Capital

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We would also like to highlight and thank all of our generous prize sponsors for their support of the evening: SuMi TRUST Global Asset Services, Fitzwilliam Capital, Dillon Eustace LLP, GenZen, and Azumi Uchitani.
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Finally, a huge thank you to the entire IJA Council team and volunteers whose hard work and support helped make the evening such a success! Thank you all again for celebrating with us!
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IJA Annual Dinner 2026 – Photo Gallery 1 and Photo Gallery 2 on Facebook!
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IJA Annual General Meeting 2026 | Review

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The 36th Annual General Meeting for the Ireland Japan Association took place on Tuesday, 3rd March 2026. The meeting was held as a hybrid event with members attending in person and remotely via Zoom platform.

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Catherine Grennell-Whyte, Chairperson of the Ireland Japan Association (IJA), opened the meeting by remembering the former Ambassador of Japan to Ireland, H.E. Ambassador Junji Shimada. On behalf of the IJA Council and community, she extended her deepest sympathies and heartfelt condolences to his family, friends, and former colleagues. Ambassador Shimada made a valued contribution to strengthening the relationship between Japan and Ireland and will be remembered with great respect and gratitude.

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Chairperson’s Report

Catherine Grennell-Whyte introduced attendees to the Chairperson’s Report for 2025, noting that 2025 was another active and positive year for the association. The Council focused on strengthening member engagement, expanding cultural, educational, and professional programmes, and continuing to build meaningful connections between Ireland and Japan.

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A major highlight of the year was the IJA receiving the prestigious Japanese Foreign Minister’s Commendation, recognising the Association’s longstanding contribution to strengthening bilateral relations.

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On behalf of the Council, Catherine Grennell-Whyte warmly welcomed the new Ambassador of Japan to Ireland, His Excellency Manabu Miyagawa. She thanked the Ambassador and the Embassy team for their continued support and collaboration and expressed the association’s appreciation for the strong relationship with the Embassy of Japan in Dublin, which the IJA looks forward to continuing.

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During 2025, the IJA organised and participated as co-organiser in variety of events, including language conversation groups, the Japanese Book Club, Japanese language courses, Calligraphy and Ikebana workshops, a Sake Tasting event, the Annual Dinner, the Ushioda Scholarship Award Ceremony, the DFGI Conference in collaboration with JETRO and TCD, the Annual Golf Outing, the Chairperson’s Lunch, the Ireland-Japan rugby reception hosted by Dillon Eustace, the Bounenkai celebration, and the book talk by Azumi Uchitani in January 2026. The Association also supported and promoted many events organised by partner organisations, members, and friends through its communication channels. The Council is currently working on a strong programme of events for 2026.

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Catherine Grennell-Whyte thanked all IJA members for their engagement and encouragement, highlighting the support of the 2025 Patron members – Fitzwilliam Capital and Yamamori Group. Chairperson extended special thanks to the Council team, the IJA Secretary and both Vice Chairs she had the opportunity to work alongside – Tsugumi Yamamoto and Neil Cowhey. She noted that is has been a privilege to serve as Chair and to contribute to strengthening the relationship between Ireland and Japan.

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Financial Statements 2025

A summary of the IJA Financial Statements for 2025 was presented to AGM participants. Membership subscription fees for 2026/2027 were reviewed and approved, and the newly elected IJA Council members were announced.

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Council Elections 2026

Catherine Grennell-Whyte informed that for the 2026 elections, the IJA received a sufficient number of nominations to meet the constitutional requirements for Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson, and Ordinary Council members representing Corporate members, allowing these positions to be filled without requiring a vote. For the Ordinary Council seats representing Individual members, eight nominations were received with six places available. The elections were conducted via the online voting platform ElectionBody from 17th – 24th February 2026. The results were reviewed and certified by an independent assessor, IJA Accountant, Stephen Power.

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The Chairperson extended sincere gratitude to all outgoing council members for their dedication, participation, and teamwork during their tenure.

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From R-L: Neil Cowhey, IJA Chairperson and Raymond Hegarty, IJA Vice Chairperson

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The newly elected IJA Chairperson, Neil Cowhey, addressed AGM attendees, expressing his sincere thanks to Catherine Grennell-Whyte for her leadership over the past three years and for advancing the association’s mission of strengthening Ireland-Japan relations through education, business, and culture. He also thanked the outgoing Council members for their dedication and contributions, welcomed Raymond Hegarty as the newly elected Vice Chair, and congratulated all incoming Council members, encouraging open collaboration and new ideas for the year ahead.

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The newly elected IJA Council for 2026:

Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson, Ex-Officio

  1. Neil Cowhey, Dillon Eustace (IJA Chairperson)
  2. Raymond Hegarty, IJA Individual Member (IJA Vice Chairperson)
  3. Catherine Grennell-Whyte (Ex Officio)

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Corporate Members:

  1. Atsushi Kadota, ElectroRoute
  2. Graham Hodgkin, SMBC Bank EU AG
  3. Graham Ryan, Yamamori
  4. Jonathan Kelly, Ryugaku+
  5. Peter Vambeck, Fitzwilliam Capital
  6. Yuka Nagano, Clerkin Lynch

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Individual Members:

  1. Azumi Uchitani, IJA Individual Member
  2. Cormac Hegarty, IJA Individual Member
  3. Eddie Hughes, IJA Individual Member
  4. Maria Mardiki, IJA Individual Member
  5. Paula Kelly, IJA Individual Member
  6. Rie Mishima, IJA Individual Member

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Not on Council but invited to attend meetings:

  1. Keiko Nakata, Embassy of Japan (Honorary Member)

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Many thanks to IJA Corporate member, Dillon Eustace for hosting the AGM 2026.

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RYUGAKU+ joins the IJA as a Corporate Member

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The Ireland Japan Association is delighted to welcome RYUGAKU+ as a new Corporate Member this year, and we look forward to building a strong and successful partnership.

We are pleased to be working and partnering with an organisation whose focus on education, cultural exchange, and people-to-people connections closely aligns with the values of the IJA and our mission to strengthen ties between Ireland and Japan.

Ryugaku+ is an Irish company which provides high-quality study abroad programmes for Japanese high school students wishing to study in Ireland. The company works closely with Irish schools and host families to deliver academically strong placements, safe and supportive homestay accommodation, and comprehensive student care.

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Ryugaku+ places particular emphasis on thorough pre-departure preparation, personalised guidance, and ongoing support throughout the student’s stay in Ireland. Through its work, the company aims to strengthen educational exchange between Ireland and Japan and support students in gaining meaningful international experience. – Jonathan Kelly, Managing Director, Ryugaku+

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To learn more about Ryugaku+ and the services they provide, please visit their website:
https://www.ryugakuplus.com/

We warmly welcome Ryugaku+ to the IJA community and look forward to collaborating in the year ahead.

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PBC Biomed joins the IJA as a Corporate Member in 2026

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The Ireland Japan Association is delighted to welcome PBC Biomed as a new Corporate Member in 2026 and looks forward to building a strong and successful partnership. We are pleased to be working with an organisation whose commitment to innovation, collaboration, and excellence closely aligns with the values of the IJA and our mission to strengthen connections between Ireland and Japan across business, culture, and knowledge exchange.

PBC Biomed is a leading medical device company that partners with medical device, biologic, and pharmaceutical companies to accelerate innovation from design and development through to commercialisation.

 

‘We have a deep knowledge of the R&D, Regulatory, Quality Assurance, Clinical, Commercialization and Vigilance requirements facing innovators based in Europe, the US, and beyond, as well as contract manufacturing capabilities in Shannon, Ireland.

With locations in Ireland, the US and France, we collaborate with clients ranging from start-ups to multinationals by providing expertise, resources, and access to global clinical and industry networks to ‘Accelerate Medical Innovation.’ – Bronagh O’Doherty, Global Product Manager, PBC Biomed

 

The IJA is very pleased to welcome PBC Biomed to our Corporate Members’ network and looks forward to opportunities for engagement, exchange, and collaboration in the year ahead.

To learn more about PBC Biomed and the services they provide, please visit their website: https://pbcbiomed.com, and connect with them on LinkedIn for updates and insights into their work.

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IJA Chairperson meets with Ambassador Miyagawa at the Embassy of Japan

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We would like to sincerely thank the new Japanese Ambassador to Ireland, Manabu Miyagawa, and his team for their warm hospitality in welcoming the IJA Chairperson, Catherine Grennell-Whyte, to the Embassy for a meeting on 5th January.

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The Ireland Japan Association greatly values the close and longstanding relationship between Ireland and Japan, and we look forward to working closely together to further strengthen the ties of friendship, understanding, and cooperation between our two countries.

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Catherine Grennell-Whyte, IJA Chairperson and H.E. Mr. Manabu Miyagawa, Ambassador of Japan to Ireland

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The Embassy published the following announcement about the visit:

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On 5 January, Ambassador-designate MIYAGAWA Manabu met Ms. Catherine Grennell-Whyte, Chairperson of the Ireland Japan Association. Both sides looked back at economic and cultural exchanges between Ireland and Japan generated through the IJA’s activities down through the years. They also exchanged views on future opportunities for further cooperation.
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Ambassador-designate reiterated his congratulations on IJA’s receipt of the Foreign Minister’s Commendation in 2025 for their outstanding contribution to exchanges between Ireland and Japan. The Embassy of Japan in Ireland will continue to collaborate with the IJA for even deeper and diversified relations between our two countries for many years to come.’
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アイルランド日本協会との交流
　１月５日、宮川学駐アイルランド大使は、キャサリン・グレネル＝ホワイト・アイルランド日本協会会長と会談しました。両者は長年にわたるアイルランド日本協会を通じた両国間の経済・文化交流を振り返り、また、今後の協力の機会についても意見を交わしました。大使は、同協会の日アイルランド交流への貢献に対する令和７年の外務大臣表彰につき改めて祝意を表しました。日本大使館は、これからも末永く同協会と連携して、日アイルランド関係を一層豊かなものにしていく考えです。
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L-R: Keiko Nakata, Embassy of Japan, Catherine Grennell-Whyte, IJA Chairperson and H.E. Mr. Manabu Miyagawa, Ambassador of Japan to Ireland

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Photos: Embassy of Japan in Ireland

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Tag Archive for: IJA

IJA Japanese Conversation Group

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**Please note that the group is taking a summer break until August 2026!**

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Join our FREE Japanese conversation group meetings and improve your Japanese conversational skills in an informal, friendly atmosphere!

Meetings take place twice a month on Tuesdays from 8-9 p.m. via Zoom.

To join the group, please sign up by sending email to: info@ija.ie.

 

 

Session Format
The group meets online on Tuesdays twice a month

Online Sessions
60min (30min Beginner / 30min Intermediate)
* First 30min of the session – Beginner-friendly introduction & practice
* Last 30min of the session – Intermediate conversation & expansion
* End with 5 min “今日の一言” – one practical sentence to use daily.

In-Person Meetups
Every 2 months  – 2 hour long in-person meeting to connect with others, socialise and practice your language skills. Date and venue will be announced for each upcoming meeting.

Topics
We will share the specific topic for each session with registered group members in advance, along with the Zoom link. Sessions are facilitated by native Japanese speaker/s.

Who can join?
We warmly encourage you to join our group sessions – new members are always welcome, and we would love to meet you!

* IJA Members
* University students (18+) studying Japanese and former JET programme participants are welcome to join up to 3 complimentary sessions to try out the group before deciding on membership.
* Non-members wishing to attend are kindly welcome to become IJA members before joining the group.

Please Note!
* This conversation group is a fun activity for people who enjoy speaking Japanese, not a language course or class.
* Suitable for participants aged 18+ only.

For more information or to sign up, please contact us: info@ija.ie

IJA CONVERSATION GROUPS

SUMMER MEETUP

Read more here!

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Summer Japanese & English Conversation Group In-Person Meetup

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The Ireland Japan Association is delighted to invite you to our Summer Japanese & English Conversation Group in-person meetup on 22nd August in Dublin.
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Join us for a relaxed and friendly afternoon where you can meet fellow members, connect with new people, and enjoy conversations in both Japanese and English. The theme for this meetup will be ‘Foods & Dining – 食事 (Shokuji)’, and we will explore everyone’s favourite foods, home cooking, recipes, and restaurants. Participants will be encouraged to share a favourite recipe or a memorable dining experience as part of the discussion.
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Date: Saturday, 22nd August 2026
Time: 2 – 4 PM
Location: The Commons Cafe at the Museum of Literature (MoLI), 86 St Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2, D02XY43
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Registration required: If you are interested in attending, please register for this event by Monday, 17th August, by emailing: info@ija.ie
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Open to all IJA members.
Enjoy tea, coffee, and cake while getting to know the community!
Please note: refreshments are at participants’ own cost.
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Whether you are already a regular participant in our conversation groups or are curious and would like to meet us and see what we do, this is the perfect opportunity to join! We would also love to welcome our Japanese members to join the conversation and share their perspectives and favourite dishes!
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We look forward to welcoming you!
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