Irish firms ‘must forge bonds with Japanese’

IRISH companies will have to work hard to strengthen bonds with their Japanese counterparts if they hope to achieve growth in the years ahead, according to Minister for Trade and Commerce John McGuinness.

Time and money would have to be spent on the Japanese market if they were serious about building up their bases in what is the world’s second-largest economy, Mr McGuinness said.

While Ireland’s Asia strategy prioritised China, the minister said, the €45 million in new orders written this week and the 250 jobs created showed what could be done with time and effort. He pledged continuing support to Irish firms dedicated to cracking this tough market in the years ahead.

Apart from the business opportunities, he said, the range of practices that had kept the country at the leading edge of technology was part of the attraction of getting deeply involved with all aspects of Japan’s economy — even if it was suffering like the rest of the world at present, he added.

It was clear that Irish firms would have to be highly focused in their approach to this market.

Mr McGuinness, who visited Toyota’s Takaoka manufacturing plant near Kaikan yesterday, said the level of skills and commitment to excellence as well as the high levels of research and development by Toyota demonstrated just what could be done with the right commitment.