Minister Martin launches the Ireland-Japan Working Holiday Programme

Minister Micheál Martin today (Wednesday 28^th June 2006) announced a new programme that will allow young people from Ireland and Japan to visit each other’s countries for extended holidays and to work part-time during their stay.

The Ireland-Japan Working Holiday Programme is an initiative by the Irish and Japanese Governments that aims to give young people from both countries an opportunity to gain first-hand experience of a foreign culture while on extended holidays of up to one year. Minister Martin jointly launched the programme with a Japanese Government representative at a ceremony at the Foreign Ministry in Tokyo. The Minister is currently leading a major trade mission of Irish companies to Japan and China.

The Minister said; “this new programme will provide young people in Ireland and Japan with a chance to travel, to learn more about each others’ countries and to build friendships.

“Japan is one of our most important economic partners, and this new programme will also have a very positive impact on our business relationship. It will give young Irish people a chance to gain invaluable work experience in Japan, which is the world’s second largest economy. Young Japanese people will have an opportunity to work in Ireland, which is already a gateway to Europe for many Japanese companies.

“Young Irish people now have a range of options which give them the chance them to live and work in Japan. The FAS programme provides placements for Irish graduates in major Japanese companies. The JET programme gives people a chance to teach English in schools throughout Japan. The Holiday Working Programme will now give young people an opportunity to take long holidays while working and travelling in Japan.

The Minister concluded saying that “this programme is a concrete example of the strong friendship between Ireland and Japan. It’s fitting that the programme will take effect on 1 January 2007 and will inaugurate the celebrations of 50 years of diplomatic relations and friendship between Ireland and Japan.”