Emperor's Birthday Reception 2026
2026/2/12
Ambassador MIYAGAWA’s speech
Ambassador MIYAGAWA’s speech
On 12 February, Ambassador MIYAGAWA Manabu and his wife, Noriko, held a reception at the Ambassador’s residence in celebration of the 66th birthday of His Majesty the Emperor of Japan. The Ambassador and his wife welcomed over 120 distinguished guests, including Cllr Jim Gildea, Cathaoirleach of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, Ms Emer Currie TD, and Mr Malcolm Byrne TD, as well as the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and other government officials, foreign diplomats, businesses and organisations operating in Ireland, and experts across many fields including academia, culture, and sport.
The reception began with a performance by the Experience Japan taiko drum team. Experience Japan is an organisation which brings Japanese culture to thousands of people in Ireland. A choir of students from St Cronan’s Senior National School, which teaches Japanese as a subject to its students, sang the Japanese and Irish national anthems. Finally, a traditional kagura dance was performed.
Ambassador MIYAGAWA addressed the guests with a speech honouring the Emperor’s 66th birthday. The Ambassador also discussed the long history of friendship and goodwill between Japan and Ireland, including figures such as Lafcadio Hearn, who introduced the world to Japan’s ghost stories in the 19th century, and Reverend William Thomas Grey, who brought hockey to Japan. The Ambassador also expressed his hope that relations between Japan and Ireland deepen even further, seizing opportunities such as Minister of State Seán Canney’s visit to Japan in March, Ireland’s presidency of the EU in the latter half of 2026, and the 70th anniversary of Japan-Ireland diplomatic relations in 2027.
During the reception, as part of the Embassy’s efforts to promote Japan’s agricultural, forest, and fishery products and foods, Japanese sake and umeshu (Japanese plum liqueur) were served to guests, providing a unique chance to enjoy Japanese food and drink in Ireland. Guests were also shown footage of Expo 2025, held in Osaka, Japan last year.
Taiko drum performance
Kagura dance
St. Cronan’s Senior National School choir
Ambassador MIYAGAWA talking with Ms Emer Currie TD, Convenor of the Ireland Japan Parliamentary Friendship Group
Ambassador MIYAGAWA (left) with Mr Malcolm Byrne TD, member of the Ireland Japan Parliamentary Friendship Group and Chair of the Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence (right) and Ms Susan Wilson, Chairperson of the Japanese Language Teachers of Ireland and Japanese teacher at Gorey Community School (Centre)
Ambassador MIYAGAWA showing the magnolia tree in the residence’s garden to Mr Padraig O'Conaill, Director, EU and International Division, Department of the Taoiseach
Ikebana (Japanese flower arrangement) by Ms Harumi Langford