Council

The Association is run by a voluntary Council of fourteen people, representative of the corporate and individual membership and is elected at an Annual General Meeting held in March. The Council meets nine times a year.

CHAIRPERSON

Mr Donagh Morris (Daiwa Securities Group)

After completing a Bachelors Degree in Science at UCD and a Postgraduate Diploma in IT at NUI, Galway, Donagh lived in Japan for four years from 2000 to 2004. He spent his first two years in Japan as a participant on the JET Programme, following which he spent a further two years working in IT whilst also teaching part-time at Nagoya University of Foreign Studies. He passed Level One of the Japanese Language Proficiency Test in London in December 2004. Donagh has been working since 2005 to date as the Japanese client relationship manager at the Dublin Office of Daiwa Securities Group.

VICE CHAIRPERSON

JETRO, or the Japan External Trade Organization, is a government-related organization that works to promote mutual trade and investment between Japan and the rest of the world. Originally established in 1958 to promote Japanese exports abroad, JETRO's core focus in the 21st century has shifted toward promoting foreign direct investment into Japan and helping small to medium size Japanese firms maximize their global export potential. In Ireland, Yasuyuki Ozeki works for JETRO. On a personal level, Yasuyuki is known for his epic cycling journey from Japan to Ireland in 1998.

Ex-Officio

Darina Nakagawa
Darina completed a BA in Business Studies with Japanese Language (1996-2000) & an MBS in International Marketing (2003). She spent a number of years studying, working and enjoying life in Japan. Her passion for Japan has lived on. Together with her husband Masaki, they operate a Dublin based Specialised Travel Company selling holidays to Japan (Unique Japan Tours) and holidays from Japan to Ireland (Japan-Ireland Travel).

Individual Council Members

Mr Richard Ryan
A chartered engineer by profession, Dick Ryan worked for 34 years with the Industrial Development Agency of Ireland (IDA Ireland) until his retirement in 2004. From 1987 to 1990 he was based in Tokyo where he was responsible for IDA's Japanese operations. On his return to Ireland, he joined the newly reconstituted Ireland Japan Association and was appointed to its Council. In 1993, he became Chairperson of the IJA, a position he held for three years. In 2006, he was once again appointed to the Council and was Chairperson from 2007 to 2009.

Ms Nora O'Donnell

Her first involvement with Japan was in the late 1980's when she helped in the development of an Irish garden (still exists) at Osaka for Expo '90.Later, through a friend who has responsibility for introducing new languages (which involved Japanese) to Irish Secondary School students she became more interested in the culture and history of Japan.A recent extensive visit to Japan gave her an appreciation of the beauty of the country. The courtesy and kindness which she and her family experienced during the visit has left her with

Professor emeritus, Trinity College, Dublin and author of "A history of Japan 1582-1941: Internal and External Worlds" (Cambridge University Press, 2003). He was a visiting scholar at the International Research Centre in Japanese Studies in Kyoto for the academic year 2002-2003, and, as a visiting fellow, continues to attend the Institute. His interest lies in the archival sources for Tokugawa administration: How they were created, and the problems for the interpretation of Japanese history posed by their nature (the personal property of officials, and hence not held in official stores) and consequent erratic survival. He is the author of an ongoing series of papers in Japan Review, the journal of the Institute, and intends to write a book on the subject.

Ms Junko Hamilton

Junko is originally from Kyoto. She graduated with a B. Ed from Kyoto University of Education, and subsequently worked in the kimono business for ten years. She then studied culinary arts at Tsuji Culinary School and began working in the food arena as a menu coordinator, cooking instructor and food writer. Her clients in Japan have included Guinness, Baileys and Sekisui House. Married to an Irish citizen, she and her family relocated to Dublin in 2008. She loves food and aims to promote authentic Japanese cuisine in Ireland.

Ms Angel Concepcion

Born in Spain and living in Ireland for the past 10 years, Angel Concepcion is a graduate in Fashion and Costume Design. Having grown up inspired by Japanese culture, Angel travelled to Japan to expand her knowledge of fashion and Japanese film, also learning about kimonos and Japanese costume history. Angel has been working in the fashion industry for more than 20 years in areas including film, television and advertising. She currently specialises as a stylist for commercials and corporate events in Europe.

CORPORATE COUNCIL MEMBERS

Mr Gerard Redmond (JTI)

Gerard Redmond is Corporate Affairs Director with Japan Tobacco International (JTI).JTI employee 120 people in Ireland and 23,000 worldwide, in Ireland JTI is market leader with well know brands. JTI has a special interest in promoting Japanese Culture in Ireland and is happy to be associated with the Japanese Film Festival.

A native of Cork, Keith is a graduate of Dublin City University, University College Dublin, the National College of Ireland and Cork Institute of Technology. He has worked in the PharmaChem sector for 20 years, 10 of which in the field of Environment, Health and Safety. He has worked for Takeda Ireland Limited at their Grange Castle site since 2008. He has been committee member of the Emergency Planning Society of Ireland for the last 4 years. Takeda is a research-based global pharmaceutical company and the largest pharmaceutical company in Japan. Takeda has two sites in Ireland. The Grange Castle site is their first API plant constructed outside Japan. It develops and supplies for clinical trial numerous new products each year, while also supplying world markets with existing blockbuster products. The Bray site has served as Takeda's main for the European and U.S. markets.

Mr Karl O' Reilly  (Kintetsu World Express)
Currently, Sales Manager - Ireland for Kintetsu World Express.  The Kintetsu Group consists of over 150 affiliated companies employing over 85,000 people Worldwide. Founded in 1910 as the Osaka Electric Railway Company it has grown into the largest private railway company in Japan.  KWE Ireland is now a major competitor in the Freight and Logistical services industry and Karl has overall responsibility for the Commercial activities of the Ireland company, with offices in Dublin, Cork & Belfast. Married with 2 children, he lives in Dublin and when time allows, enjoys a game of golf or catches up on a variety of sports.

Ms Maeve Cotter (AIB Corporate Banking)
Maeve Cotter is a Relationship Manager on AIB's International Corporate Banking team. This specialised unit is dedicated to supporting the banking need of Irish subsidiaries of foreign multinational companies. Maeve has specific responsibility for managing the Japanese portfoio of clients. A graduate of University College Cork Maeve has worked with AIB for 6 years in both the Dublin and Sydney Corporate Banking offices.

Ms Shauna Sweeney (Bank of Ireland, Corporate Banking)
Shauna graduated from UCD with a degree in Commerce before going on to study for a Masters in International Business in Smurfit Business School. Shauna joined Bank of Ireland Corporate Banking in 2007 on the Graduate Programme and has spent time working in a number of departments within Bank of Ireland. In her current role Shauna works with international companies, including Japanese, with operations in Ireland.

Ms Kumiko Yagi (Unique Japan Tours)
Kumiko has been managing all operations and reservations for travel to Japan at Unique Japan Tours (Japan Ireland Travel) since 2008. She sometimes acts as a tour leader when in Japan which gives her the chance to see her family and eat the food she misses while living in Ireland. She has obtained a tour guide licence in Dublin and a licence to operate tours in Japan. Her hobbies include the art of kimono.

OTHER ATTENDEES AT COUNCIL MEETINGS

Dr Tom Hardiman (Europe Japan Business Development Round Table (EUJBDRT))
Dr. Hardiman holds directorships in industry, commerce and finance. A graduate of UCD in Engineering and Science, Tom worked for many years in the Telecommunications Services. He was appointment as Director General of RTE in 1968, a position he held for seven years. He is a Supervisory Board Member of the EU-Japan Centre for Industrial Cooperation, Tokyo and a Member of the EU Japan Business Dialogue Round Table. He is a member of the Board of Governors of the Asia Europe Foundation, Singapore. He is Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Chester Beatty Library and Gallery of Oriental Art, Dublin Castle. He was elected a member of the Royal Irish Academy in November 1980 and he was decorated with the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star by the Emperor of Japan in April 1986. He was conferred LL.D. by the National University of Ireland in April 1990 and D.Litt. by Lynn University, Florida in October 1995.

Mr Yasuhiro Yamauchi (Embassy of Japan in Ireland)
Yasuhiro Yamauchi is the Press and Commercial Attache at the Embassy of Japan in Ireland since June 2010. His main area of responsibility within the Embassy is media and public affairs and promotion of Japanese culture and language education in Ireland. Ireland and Japan celebrated their 50th anniversary year of diplomatic relations in 2007. The Ireland Japan Association and the Embassy of Japan in Ireland work together on many initiatives including Japanese cultural events such as the Japanese Film Festival.