Courtesy Call on Mr Jim O’Toole, Chief Executive Officer of Bord Bia (Irish Food Board)
2026/4/24
Mr Jim O’Toole, Chief Executive Officer, Bord Bia (back row, right); Ms Fiona O’Shaughnessy, Regional Manager for Asia, Africa and the Middle East (front row, right); Ambassador MIYAGAWA Manabu (back row, left); Ms ONOZAKI, Researcher, Embassy of Japan in Ireland (front row, left)
On 24 April, Ambassador MIYAGAWA Manabu paid a courtesy call on Mr Jim O’Toole, Chief Executive Officer of Bord Bia, to exchange views on co-operation between Japan and Ireland in the agriculture and fishery sectors.
At the outset, following the CEO’s warm words of welcome, the Ambassador referred to the longstanding exchanges between the Embassy of Japan in Ireland and Bord Bia, recent trends in bilateral trade in agricultural and fisheries products including the export of Irish beef and whiskey, relevant references to this sector in the Joint Statement issued at the Japan–Ireland Summit Meeting in 2022, and Mr O’Toole’s visit to Japan in June 2025. He expressed his intention to continue working to strengthen bilateral relations in this field, including increased Japanese export of its food and drink to Ireland.
The Ambassador also noted that he would welcome continued exploration of possible co-operation between the two countries towards achieving sustainable agriculture, including through initiatives such as Bord Bia’s “Origin Green” programme and Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries’ “Strategy for Sustainable Food Systems MIDORI”.
The Embassy of Japan in Ireland reiterates its gratitude for the opportunity of this meeting and, with an eye to the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and Ireland in 2027, is committed to pursuing all possible avenues of co-operation to further deepen the growing partnership between the two countries in the agricultural and fishery sectors.
At the outset, following the CEO’s warm words of welcome, the Ambassador referred to the longstanding exchanges between the Embassy of Japan in Ireland and Bord Bia, recent trends in bilateral trade in agricultural and fisheries products including the export of Irish beef and whiskey, relevant references to this sector in the Joint Statement issued at the Japan–Ireland Summit Meeting in 2022, and Mr O’Toole’s visit to Japan in June 2025. He expressed his intention to continue working to strengthen bilateral relations in this field, including increased Japanese export of its food and drink to Ireland.
The Ambassador also noted that he would welcome continued exploration of possible co-operation between the two countries towards achieving sustainable agriculture, including through initiatives such as Bord Bia’s “Origin Green” programme and Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries’ “Strategy for Sustainable Food Systems MIDORI”.
The Embassy of Japan in Ireland reiterates its gratitude for the opportunity of this meeting and, with an eye to the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and Ireland in 2027, is committed to pursuing all possible avenues of co-operation to further deepen the growing partnership between the two countries in the agricultural and fishery sectors.