Irish Whiskey Association joins European Commission led Trade Mission to Japan
The Irish Whiskey Association is this week participating in a Trade Mission to Japan organised by DG Agriculture of the European Commission, visiting Tokyo and Osaka.
The Irish Whiskey Association is the only Irish GI trade association to attend, among over 100 EU agri-food export delegates. This marks the first trade mission of the Commissioner for Agriculture, Christophe Hansen, and the biggest mission organised by DG Agriculture ever.
Japan has been identified as a market of interest for Irish agri-food exports, and Irish Whiskey has seen considerable success here in recent years. In 2020, there were just 55,000 cases of Irish Whiskey sold in Japan; in 2024, there were over 200,000 cases sold in what was a landmark first for Ireland's premium spirit product. According to Bord Bia figures, the export value of Irish Whiskey to Japan exceeded €5.4 million last year, a 163% increase from 2020.
Speaking from Tokyo, Director of the Irish Whiskey Association Eoin Ó Catháin welcomed the remarkable growth in Irish Whiskey exports to Japan:
"Japan is one of the most interesting and exciting whiskey markets in the world, and I am honoured to participate in this week's Trade Mission, organised by the European Commission. It is all the more beneficial given that it coincides with a separate Trade Mission led by our Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon TD, to South Korea and Japan this week. I am heartened to see the hard work of Irish Whiskey producers pay off - they have put many years of effort into developing and strengthening business relationships in Japan, and last year saw us sell over 200,000 cases of Irish Whiskey for the very first time. I hope this marks the beginning of a meteoric rise for Irish Whiskey in the Land of the Rising Sun!"
Japan is now the 14th largest international market for Irish Whiskey. While market diversification for the sector is important and an area that the Irish Whiskey Association, Bord Bia and the Irish government continues to work on, the reality of the trading environment in the most important market for Irish spirits is not ignored. In the USA, businesses are contending with a new 10% tariff, a weaker dollar and ongoing uncertainty. Today, the vast majority of distilling in Ireland is either suspended or severely curtailed, and many investments and projects have been put on hold. As quickly as possible, we need to see a return to the zero-for-zero tariff trading environment that the spirits sector in both the EU and US has benefited from over the last three decades.
Ó Catháin added:
"I spoke to Commissioner Hansen directly about the need for an immediate and long-lasting resolution to the tensions with our biggest market, the US. While Japan is growing exponentially, no market can replace the USA, where 5.4 million cases of Irish Whiskey were sold last year. The new trading environment, with its tariffs and uncertainty, unfortunately puts all this into question. I was encouraged to see that the Commissioner understands the precarity of the current situation and will work with the European Commissioner for Trade to remove the tariffs on spirits products as soon as possible, as part of an overall agreement with the US. I know that these efforts are supported by Minister Heydon and the Irish government, who have been steadfast in their support for our sector. I also found it promising that the Commissioner assured us that every effort is being made to conclude a free trade agreement between the EU and India, which is the biggest whiskey market in the world, and the fastest growing market for Irish Whiskey."
Whiskey remains the fastest growing spirit category in Japan, at a time when many other categories are facing considerable challenges, which is encouraging for Irish Whiskey. This is being spearheaded by the "Highball", a whiskey and soda mix preferred by the younger generation. Japanese whiskey dominates the domestic market, representing well over 70% of total whiskey consumption. Irish Whiskey for the moment stands at 0.7%, but given the increased focus and investment in market diversification, Ó Catháin is hopeful that this will grow in the immediate future:
"More and more often, Irish Whiskey producers are looking East for greater opportunities, especially given the uncertainty surrounding the US market. I would like to commend the work of Bord Bia and Ireland's Department of Agriculture in promoting these opportunities, and I would ask that every support is given to Irish Whiskey producers to ensure our product reaches new markets - and achieves the assured success each of these market promises."
The Trade Mission will continue over the next few days in Osaka, home of the 2025 World Fair and an opportunity for many Irish agri-food exports to promote their premium products to a global audience.
ENDS
