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LAST UPDATE | 2 Jul
IRELAND HOUSE IN Tokyo is the most expensive capital project the Irish government has undertaken outside the island of Ireland.
The building, which will hold the new embassy, the ambassador’s residence as well as the hubs for Enterprise Ireland, the IDA and Bord Bia, was officially launched today by Taoiseach Micheál Martin.
In 2017, the government decided to develop a new Ireland House in Japan to showcase and promote Ireland. The total cost of the project to date is €25.9 million , though the Department of Foreign Affairs said the final cost is expected to be in the region of €27.4 million, making it the most expensive building constructed outside the state.
In April 2025, in response to a parliamentary question, Tánaiste and Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Harris put the costs at €20.5 million, though it was stated the accounts were still being finalised.
However, just three months later, the spend on the project has jumped by over €7 million.
The overall cost will be borne from both the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Department of Enterprise.
Questions have been raised in the past about the cost, but speaking today Taoiseach Micheál Martin said it had been just three years since he turned the sod on the project.
Batting away the criticisms about the cost in 2020, Brendan Rogers, the former deputy secretary general of the Department of Foreign Affairs, told the Business Post that money spent was fully justified.
“This will represent Ireland to the Japanese nation,” he said, stating that creating a good impression was extremely important when it came to doing business in Asia.
Henry J Lyons, a Dublin architectural firm, won the design competition for the project five years ago.
Peter McGovern, architect and director of the firm told The Journal that the project is about integrating the Irish tower house and the very traditional Japanese timber joinery in one contemporary fusion.
“Tokyo is a very particular kind of city, and it’s quite different than Dublin. Context is less important in terms of the architectural language. So this building is really quite distinctive own identity,” he said.
“I think you’ve seen everybody who comes into the building, take an intake of breath. It is stunning. The light quality, the way the spaces flow, are all very positive. And I think that this is the way we should be presenting ourselves, particularly on foreign soils, as a confident nation, who have a real place in the world,” he added.
Speaking today at Ireland House, the Taoiseach said the Irish government’s decision to build Ireland House Tokyo is a very tangible sign of Ireland’s commitment to the relationship with Japan.
He said the building will “serve as a platform for Team Ireland to continue their very valuable work here in Tokyo for decades to come.”
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I love the cost will be borne by the Dept of Foreign Affairs and Enterprise- so the taxpayer then
Fair play to fffg for doing us proud in Japan. I’ve a funny feeling our” bike shed ” is only an anomaly and will make us a better nation going forward.
@Paul Gorry: The article omits mention of the construction contractors or the actual construction timeline. As it actually got built I suspect BAM wasn’t involved .. except for maybe a quick consultative review for the Irish Government which could be done for the €7m cost overrun, without hindering the local work.
So if its costing 27million in japan that means if it was built in ireland it would be costing around 100 million, they just love wasting tax payer money
@charlie brown: no.
It would be less than half that.
Japan and Tokyo in particular are extremely pricey. This is well known.
Actually I’m okay with this. If we increase our footprint In trade with Japan at the benefits of economically then good. Looks lovely and multifunctional . The waist right now is having embassies in places like Russia and Iran. Now that is stupid
Bet it never gets used or at least minimal use.
it was not that pricey compared to Irish costs.. I suspected the Japanese had the contracts or that somewhere our tradesmen were not involved
And surprising Ireland and Japan are two of the worlds most indebted country’s in 2025 .
We are been robbed at every angle
Unbelievable
Jesus, could they have not bought a ready made building in a nice office complex or whatever??
No.
They had to go and spend an absolute fortune whilst at home I couldn’t get speech therapy for my daughter.
That is the reality of 2025 Ireland. Money spent on crap we can do without while those who REALLY need it can go get lost.
You voted them back in guys.
@John Hickey: the inability to get speech therapy is not caused by a lack of taxpayer cash. There is plenty of tax payer cash availabile. It’s more likely caused by a lack of government interest in doing anything useful with that tax payer cash
Final cost is expected to around 28 million. Best word is EXPECTED. Roughly translated there’s every chance it will be way more.
have your say