The Ireland Fund of Japan welcomed Kingsley Aikins, President of The Ireland Funds, to Tokyo in May 2004.

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During his three day visit we organized a dinner meeting with the Ireland Fund of Japan board members at the Tokyo American Club on May 10th. This was followed by a reception the following evening at the Ark Hills Club for the Fund’s sponsors and supporters.

This was Kingsley’s first time to meet many of the board members who had joined during the past year. The board dinner gave us an opportunity to discuss the specific challenges and opportunities facing the Ireland Fund in Japan and exchange ideas on how to grow the organization here.

On May 11th, Brendan McMahon, one of our new board members, kindly arranged for us to hold a reception at the Ark Hills Club of which he is a member. Jon French, our 2004 Emerald Ball chairperson's husband - who also represents the Gallo Wineries in this part of the world - graciously donated all the wine for our reception.

Turnout for the reception was exceptional and included many of our top sponsors who gathered to hear Kingsley talk about the goals and accomplishments of The Ireland Funds worldwide as well as in Japan. The Ireland Fund of Japan board ran an audio visual presentation on the work of the Ireland Fund of Japan in supporting worthy causes in Japan and Ireland since its foundation in 1994.

Mrs. Yoshiko Mitsui, Vice Chairperson of the Special Olympics Japan was among our guests. Mrs. Mitsui gave a short presentation on the upcoming Special Olympics event which will take place in Japan in February 2005 and showed an excerpt from a film called “Home Stay” about the Japanese team’s experience in Ireland during the Special Olympics of 2003. The Ireland Fund of Japan will support the upcoming Special Olympics in Nagano and are exploring ways to help the Irish team in particular.

Photo Index 1. Micheal Shannon, and friends from Dai Nippon Printing with Kingsley Aikins. 2. IFJ Board Micheal Shannon, Kerry O’Shea, Jackie Nagai, KA, Gerry Lanigan, Tara French, Tony Lally, Brendan McMahon, Mary Kilgarriff and Paul Boylan enjoyed a dinner and board meeting with Kingsley at the Tokyo American Club. 3. Waterford Wedgewood guests & Kingsley Aikins. 4. Liz & Tony Lally & Ted Skillman 5. Mary Kilgarriff and Nina Sakazaki &Yoshiko Mitsui of Special Olympics Japan organization. 6. Hans P. Kappeler, president Waterford Wedgwood with Ted Skillman, president of Skillman & Co. and Dear Cards. 7. Board member & IFJ Treasurer Jackie Nagai. 8. Myrta D’Angelo and Setsuko Takino with Naomi. 9. David Barry of Tulfarris Golf Club. 10. Kingsley with Declan Collins. 11. Tara French, Paul Boylan with Josette Vanneur of Miki Tourist. 12. Irish Tourist Board. 13. Michael Beamish of Gallo Winery Asia/USA with Mary and Kingsley. 14. Kingsley is introduced to Jon French, Gallo Winery Asia. 15. IFJ with Kingsley Aikins. 16. Traditional Irish musicians. 17. Sumie Akutsu. 18. Kingsley with Derek Fitzgerald of The Irish Network Japan.