The Shamrock Ladies' Society takes to the streets of Tokyo

One of Tokyo's busiest shopping boulevards, Omotesando, was taken over last Sunday by a colourful St Patrick's Day parade. Several thousand people joined in and many more watched.

Such a carnival is unusual in the city. It attracted sympathetic and occasionally bemused comment from bystanders - all the more so when they saw the number of Japanese people and groups participating, including the impressive Tokyo Pipe Band.

The parade was led by the Irish Ambassador to Japan, Mr Declan O'Donovan, and the US ambassador, Mr Tom Foley. With them were two TDs from the Dail Committee of Public Accounts, Mr Sean Doherty and Mr Pat Rabbitte, who were in Tokyo to meet their Japanese counterparts.

The street was bedecked with Irish and Japanese flags, which remain in place for a week.

Mr Foley has supported the parade for several years. On this occasion he helped to get the US Army Band involved, playing a medley of Irish and American marching tunes. His presence and theirs were powerful reminders of Ireland's American outreach, in a city which takes such influence very seriously.

Other groups in the parade represented graduates from Dublin City University, University College Dublin and Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann. There are hundreds of young Irish graduates in Tokyo, many working in the vigorous information technology sector.

Several Irish pubs and drinks companies sponsored banners and boisterous marchers. There were representatives from the Shamrock Ladies' Society, an Irish festival committee, a Japanese high school troupe and a local tulip festival.

Over half of the good-humoured participants were Japanese, with a fair sprinkling of Irish-Australians and Irish-Canadians, along with the strong Irish contingent. At least one wolfhound marched on a sunny afternoon.

This is the sixth St Patrick's Day parade in the city. The event has grown year by year, mirroring the growing Irish community, their social contacts, and their energetic involvement in the city.

The main organiser, Mr Damien Currie from Northern Ireland, works at the Australian embassy in Tokyo. He was delighted with the turnout and the spirit of the day, and hopes to see a bigger parade next year.

In an interview with the main English-language newspaper, the Japan Times, Mr O'Donovan stressed the strong and relatively balanced trade links between the two states, amounting to $5 billion a year, and growing cultural and political links.