Peter Burke TD, Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, has commenced a major Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland Trade and Investment Mission in Japan, the fourth largest economy in the world.
As trade between the two countries now exceeds €21.5bn, the focus of this week’s trade and investment mission is to boost further collaboration between Ireland and Japan and support world-class Irish companies to scale in the Japanese market. Twenty-three Enterprise Ireland clients who are global leaders in their field are participating on the mission, including ICON plc, Aerogen, Fexco, Fenergo, Equal1, GridBeyond, Provizio, Daon, Druid Software, TFI Marine, and Kitman Labs.
Japan is home to some of the world’s largest and most innovative companies, so this week’s trade and investment mission will also focus on the strengthening of Japanese partnerships with, and investment in Irish innovation, while highlighting Ireland as a strong and trusted, leading global business location.
Enterprise Ireland client exports to Japan have doubled in the last ten years, reaching €323m in 2023. 300 supported companies, employing 1,750 people, are active in Japan, with 50 having a full-time presence. This trade mission emphasises collaboration with innovative Irish firms to address global challenges, offering scaling opportunities in lifesciences, digital technologies, and fintech.
IDA Ireland has operated in the Japanese market for over 50 years and Japan plays an important part in Ireland’s FDI story. Japanese companies are the largest investor in Ireland from the Asia Pacific region and the 5th largest investor globally. These investments from over 40 Japanese companies employ more than 8,000 people in Ireland across a wide range of sectors from Technology, Pharmaceuticals & Medical Technologies and Financial Services with operations located across Ireland.
Across the week, a number of Enterprise Ireland client companies are set to make significant announcements about expansions in the Japanese market, including GridBeyond, Otonomee, Kitman Labs and Aerogen:
Speaking in Ireland House in Tokyo as he commenced the trade and investment mission, Minister Burke said: “I am delighted to lead this important trade and investment mission on behalf of the Irish government, as we continue to support the Irish enterprise base to diversify and explore new global opportunities and markets. The relationship between Ireland and Japan is based on shared values and mutual respect and I believe it will grow deeper and stronger in the years to come.
“The trade mission builds on the EU Japan Trade agreement which facilitates easier access for EU and Irish exporters doing business in Japan, and integrates EU and Japanese firms into efficient supply chains, especially in technology and manufacturing.”
Jenny Melia, Executive Director and CEO Designate, Enterprise Ireland, said: “For advanced Irish exporters, Japan is a strategically important market, home to global leaders in technology, lifesciences and manufacturing. Irish companies have achieved great success in Japan, and this trade mission will be focused on supporting our client companies to scale further and secure new opportunities.
“Japan is also a very strong source of deal flow with high levels of Japanese investment in Irish companies, such as Softbank’s investment in Cubic3 and Tines, Yokogawa Electric’s investment in GridBeyond and more. This is a strong signal that Japanese companies value and best in class innovation emerging from Ireland. Through our network of 42 international offices, including a team on the ground here in Tokyo, Enterprise Ireland is committed to working with Irish-owned companies and supporting them to scale even further internationally.”
Michael Lohan, CEO of IDA Ireland added: “The Trade Mission represents an opportunity to reinforce Ireland’s global position as a proven and stable location for investment and recognises the longstanding economic relationship between Ireland and Japan. As part of this investment mission, we will be meeting with some of the largest and most dynamic companies in the world of life sciences, financial services, technology and business services. These companies continue to seek stable, pro-business locations for their businesses.
“This week is about deepening our existing relationships at the highest levels and engaging with new target companies. As Japanese companies increasingly globalise, Ireland is ideally placed as a location to help them grow.”
As trade between the two countries now exceeds €21.5bn, the focus of this week’s trade and investment mission is to boost further collaboration between Ireland and Japan and support world-class Irish companies to scale in the Japanese market. Twenty-three Enterprise Ireland clients who are global leaders in their field are participating on the mission, including ICON plc, Aerogen, Fexco, Fenergo, Equal1, GridBeyond, Provizio, Daon, Druid Software, TFI Marine, and Kitman Labs.
Japan is home to some of the world’s largest and most innovative companies, so this week’s trade and investment mission will also focus on the strengthening of Japanese partnerships with, and investment in Irish innovation, while highlighting Ireland as a strong and trusted, leading global business location.
Enterprise Ireland client exports to Japan have doubled in the last ten years, reaching €323m in 2023. 300 supported companies, employing 1,750 people, are active in Japan, with 50 having a full-time presence. This trade mission emphasises collaboration with innovative Irish firms to address global challenges, offering scaling opportunities in lifesciences, digital technologies, and fintech.
IDA Ireland has operated in the Japanese market for over 50 years and Japan plays an important part in Ireland’s FDI story. Japanese companies are the largest investor in Ireland from the Asia Pacific region and the 5th largest investor globally. These investments from over 40 Japanese companies employ more than 8,000 people in Ireland across a wide range of sectors from Technology, Pharmaceuticals & Medical Technologies and Financial Services with operations located across Ireland.
Across the week, a number of Enterprise Ireland client companies are set to make significant announcements about expansions in the Japanese market, including GridBeyond, Otonomee, Kitman Labs and Aerogen:
- GridBeyond, a company headquartered in Dublin, which provides AI technologies to enhance energy flexibility and optimisation solutions, has officially commenced energy trading in Japan using a front-of-the-meter (FTM) battery asset in collaboration with PORT Inc.
- Aerogen, Galway based global leader in acute-care aerosol drug delivery, announces a new strategic expansion in Japan, by opening a new operational hub and office in Tokyo with Commercial, Marketing, Medical Science employees and plans to expand its team to approximately 30 people in the next five years.
- Otonomee, an Irish customer support outsourcer for scaling US and European Healthtech, SaaS, and ECommerce brands, is hiring CX and Tech professionals in Japan to meet growing global demand. Fully remote, Otonomee is tapping into Japan’s top talent pool to achieve this expansion.
- Kitman Labs, the Dublin-based world leading sports tech platform which harnesses AI to drive performance, expands its impressive roster of international professional sports team clients in Japan, by announcing J-League Division 1 soccer, Kyoto Sanga, as its latest partner
Speaking in Ireland House in Tokyo as he commenced the trade and investment mission, Minister Burke said: “I am delighted to lead this important trade and investment mission on behalf of the Irish government, as we continue to support the Irish enterprise base to diversify and explore new global opportunities and markets. The relationship between Ireland and Japan is based on shared values and mutual respect and I believe it will grow deeper and stronger in the years to come.
“The trade mission builds on the EU Japan Trade agreement which facilitates easier access for EU and Irish exporters doing business in Japan, and integrates EU and Japanese firms into efficient supply chains, especially in technology and manufacturing.”
Jenny Melia, Executive Director and CEO Designate, Enterprise Ireland, said: “For advanced Irish exporters, Japan is a strategically important market, home to global leaders in technology, lifesciences and manufacturing. Irish companies have achieved great success in Japan, and this trade mission will be focused on supporting our client companies to scale further and secure new opportunities.
“Japan is also a very strong source of deal flow with high levels of Japanese investment in Irish companies, such as Softbank’s investment in Cubic3 and Tines, Yokogawa Electric’s investment in GridBeyond and more. This is a strong signal that Japanese companies value and best in class innovation emerging from Ireland. Through our network of 42 international offices, including a team on the ground here in Tokyo, Enterprise Ireland is committed to working with Irish-owned companies and supporting them to scale even further internationally.”
Michael Lohan, CEO of IDA Ireland added: “The Trade Mission represents an opportunity to reinforce Ireland’s global position as a proven and stable location for investment and recognises the longstanding economic relationship between Ireland and Japan. As part of this investment mission, we will be meeting with some of the largest and most dynamic companies in the world of life sciences, financial services, technology and business services. These companies continue to seek stable, pro-business locations for their businesses.
“This week is about deepening our existing relationships at the highest levels and engaging with new target companies. As Japanese companies increasingly globalise, Ireland is ideally placed as a location to help them grow.”
