TAOISEACH MICHEÁL MARTIN has met with Japanese Prime Minister Kishida to discuss trade, Ukraine, and the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons.
The Taoiseach is in Japan and Singapore for an official visit from 19-22 July.
The key objectives of the visit is to reinforce bilateral relationships and to grow Ireland’s relationship with the Asia-Pacific region.
In Tokyo, the Taoiseach met with political representatives, the business community and members of the Irish diaspora.
The Taoiseach also expressed his sincere condolences to the Prime Minister and the people of Japan on the killing of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, which he said shocked the world.
The Taoiseach also paid a visit to the site of the new Ireland House in Tokyo which is due for completion in 2024 under the government’s Global Ireland Strategy.
“In our meeting today, I conveyed to Prime Minister Kishida my sincere condolences, and those of the Irish people, on the death of former Prime Minister Abe. He was a truly significant and respected figure on the global stage,” said Martin.
Taoiseach @michealmartintd met with Japanese PM Kishida & conveyed sincere condolences of the Irish people on the death of former PM Abe. Both leaders agreed to advance & deepen Irish-Japanese relations based on shared values of freedom, democracy, human rights & rule of law 🇮🇪🇯🇵 pic.twitter.com/SSOoX8mJj9
— MerrionStreet.ie (@merrionstreet) July 20, 2022
In the discussions, the two leaders discussed the mutually beneficial economic relations between their two countries.
“I welcome that two-way trade between Ireland and Japan is now valued at almost €20 billion. I will be using my visit to Japan to seek to further strengthen this relationship. There are a great many areas in which Ireland and Japan can work closely together to mutual benefit, as two countries committed to free and open markets,” said the Taoiseach.
“We also discussed Russia’s war on Ukraine. I shared my experience of visiting Ukraine earlier this month and of seeing at first hand the devastation in towns near Kyiv. Russia’s actions are a gross violation of international law, which we are agreed cannot be allowed stand.
“The Prime Minister and I also discussed the global impacts of Russia’s immoral war, including the despicable use of food as a propaganda weapon, threatening the most vulnerable people on earth,” he added.
The Taoiseach noted that Ireland will step down from its position on the UN Security Council at the end of this year as Japan takes up its seat.
“The prime minister has spoken particularly eloquently of his and Japan’s commitment to a nuclear weapons-free world. Ireland’s engagement with Japan on disarmament and non-proliferation is extensive and of long-standing. We are at one in our wish to see a world free from the threat of nuclear weapons,” he said, adding that he invited the prime minister to visit Ireland at an early date.
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