Waterford Japanese gardens pay tribute to ambassador on his recent passing
Former Ambassador H.E Junji Shimada presents his credentials to President Michael D Higgins in March. Pictured with the president and Mrs Kaoru Shimada. Picture: President of Ireland
The team at the Lafcadio Hearn Japanese Gardens in Tramore has expressed their condolences to the family of the Japanese Ambassador to Ireland, who passed away recently.
H.E. Mr Shimada Junji passed away on October 14, 2025 and had been the Japanese Ambassador to Ireland since December 2024.
In a post on social media, the team at the Lafcadio Hearn Japanese Gardens said: “We would also like to take this opportunity to express our condolences on the recent death of former Ambassador Shimada.
“Our deepest sympathies go to Mrs Shimada Kaoru and their family.
“They in their short time here, became great friends of the gardens and will be sadly missed,” wrote the team.
The post was to welcome the new Ambassador Designate Mr Miyagawa Manabu, who announced his position on December 1.
In a statement on the Embassy of Japan in Ireland website, Ambassador Miyagawa paid tribute to his predecessor and said that the late ambassador was very fond of Ireland.
“He was always sincere and diligent in executing his mission as Ambassador. Upon hearing the sad news, so many Irish and Japanese people in Ireland, from both the public and private sectors, expressed their condolences.
“Former Ambassador Shimada entered the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) in the same year as I did.
"In September, he talked to me by telephone a couple of times. At that time, he was in Tokyo, and I was in Okinawa at my previous post at the Okinawa Liaison Office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA).
"Shimada-san enthusiastically told me how wonderful Ireland is, touching upon the importance of our bilateral relations in detail based on his own experiences,” said Ambassador Miyagawa.
The gardens in Tramore welcomed the new Ambassador-Designate.
“Welcome, Ambassador Miyagawa, we hope you will have the opportunity to visit Lafcadio Hearn Japanese Gardens Tramore, in the very near future.
“We very much look forward to meeting you, Ambassador Miyagawa and continuing our great friendship with the Embassy of Japan in Ireland,” they wrote.
The late Ambassador Shimada and his wife Kaoru, attended the 10th anniversary of the Lafcadio Hearn Japanese Gardens during the summer.
