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. 

In 2020, there were just 55,000 cases of Irish Whiskey sold in Japan; in 2024, there were over 200,000 cases sold according to the Irish Whiskey Association.