Ireland Japan 2025

This project was an initiative of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in partnership with Literature Ireland as part of Ireland Japan 2025, a programme marking Ireland’s participation in Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, and the opening of Ireland House Tokyo.

Ireland’s relationship with Japan is built on shared values of freedom, democracy, human rights and the rule of law. Japan is our second largest trading partner in the Asia Pacific region, with annual two-way trade of approximately €23 billion. This is a relationship that actively nurtures and promotes these shared values, as well as increased trade and investment into Ireland. 

The brief was to create a unique presentation piece which would express the cultural affinity and exchange between Ireland and Japan through literature. 

We designed five books of fiction by iconic Irish writers in a custom slipcase, emblazoned with the existing Ireland at Expo 25 logo by Zero-G. The five titles included A Long Winter by Colm Tóibín, translated by Noriko Ito; opening chapters of Dracula by Bram Stoker, translated by Teiichi Hirai; selected stories from Kwaidan by Lafcadio Hearn, translated by Sukehiro Hirakawa; selected stories from The Names Upon the Harp by Maria Heaney, translated by Kazuko Kawaguchi, Rie Kawai and Mitsuko Ohno; and I Am Ireland, an Anthology of Poetry from Ireland edited by Andrew Fitzsimons.