Tánaiste launches ‘Ireland at Expo Osaka 2025’

The Tánaiste, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Defence, Micheál Martin TD has today launched Ireland’s participation in Expo 2025

Expo 2025 will take place in Osaka, Kansai, Japan from 13 April to 13 October. It is expected to attract 28 million visitors with over 160 countries participating.

Japan is Irelands second largest trading partner in Asia, with a €23 Billion trading relationship, and participation in Expo Osaka is part of the Global Ireland strategy to build Irelands impact and visibility in the world. Irelands presence at Expo Osaka will be complemented by the opening in 2025 of a new flagship ‘Ireland House’ in Tokyo housing the Irish Embassy and State Agencies.

Irelands theme at Expo Osaka is ‘Creativity Connects People’, and will include contributions from Irelands University’s, Cultural Institutions, Government Departments and State Agencies, and will also showcase the winners of the 2025 BT Young Scientist competition, a special Gradam Ceoil concert with TG4, and a Halloween festival promoting Ireland as the ‘Home of Haloween’.

Speaking at the launch the Tánaiste said: “I am delighted to be joined today by HE Ambassador Maruyama. The opening of Ireland House Tokyo next year and participation in Expo represent the most significant step-up in this important bilateral relationship since the opening of our Embassy in Tokyo in 1973.”

“Our participation in Expo will help Ireland build new relationships in Osaka and the dynamic Kansai region and beyond. We will have visiting delegations from across Government, State Agencies, Universities and our Cultural Institutions, who will use this opportunity to develop new partnerships for Ireland in Japan, the Asia Pacific region, and the wider World”.

“This is an example of the ambition of the Global Ireland strategy in action and will be delivered with a strong ‘Team Ireland’, all-of-Government approach. Together with our Embassy, Ireland’s trade and investment promotion agencies – IDA Ireland, Enterprise Ireland, Bord Bia and Tourism Ireland – we will leverage the opportunities presented by Expo 2025 and Ireland House Tokyo to promote Ireland as a great country to visit, in which to invest and study, and with which to trade.”

Minister of State for the Office of Public Works, Kieran O’Donnell said, “The Office of Public Works has a long history of involvement in designing Irish pavilions at World Expos and is delighted to work with the Department of Foreign Affairs to deliver a distinctive Pavilion at Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan. The design is based on the triple knot or triskele, an ancient motif which has appeared in Irish art and craft since Neolithic times. The design also looks to the future by using sustainable materials that can be reused after Expo.”

More information on Ireland’s presence in Osaka is available on www.ireland.ie/expo