Cowen to head Japanese trade mission

The Taoiseach and Tánaiste are due to lead the state’s biggest-ever trade mission to Japan in the New Year.

Brian Cowen and Mary Coughlan will get a brief respite from the domestic economic woes when they set off on the week-long visit to the Far East in mid-January.

The delegation is expected to include firms with business links in Japan as well as officials from Enterprise Ireland, the IDA, Tourism Ireland and An Bord Bia.

Networking events and briefings in the capital, Tokyo and major city Osaka will focus on sectors like financial services, retail, ICT and education.

Mr Cowen is also likely to hold talks on bilateral issues with members of the Japanese government.

“Japan is a good place to do business – a mature, sophisticated and wealthy market with very well developed infrastructures and strong business integrity,” said an Enterprise Ireland spokesperson.

“It is also the second biggest economy in the world and the largest in Asia. It is a key trend-setter in the region.

“Continuous deregulation, globalisation and the healthy state of the Japanese economy are creating new opportunities for Ireland in the land of the rising sun.”

Major New Year trade missions targeted South Africa and India respectively in the past two years.

Ireland currently enjoys a trade surplus with Japan and is the EU’s biggest exporter per capita to the country.

Guinness, brewed in and shipped from St James’ Gate in Dublin, is available in 24,000 bars and restaurants in Japan.

Meanwhile, Enterprise, Trade and Employment Minister Ms Coughlan is visiting Dubai and Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates next week to attend Enterprise Ireland networking events.

The Tánaiste undertook a five-city tour of the US earlier this month in a bid to attract more US firms to Ireland.