The Ireland Japan Chamber of Commerce (IJCC) was honoured to host the 2024 Ireland Japan Business Awards (IJBA) in the Conrad Tokyo on Friday, 15th November.

Each year the Chamber celebrates key companies and individuals for their outstanding contributions to Ireland-Japan business relations.

The Company of the Year was one of 3 award categories presented this year.

On behalf of the Chamber, we are delighted to announce that the Ireland Japan Business Awards 2024 Company of the Year was jointly awarded to SoftBank Corporation and Cubic Telecom.

Cubic Telecom is a world-leading global provider of software-defined connected vehicle solutions based in Dublin. In 2023, Softbank acquired a majority stake in Cubic. Together Cubic Telecom and Softbank have created a strategic global partnership to pioneer the future of software-defined connected vehicles and other high-value Internet-of-Things (IoT) assets. Their partnership is an example of Irish and Japanese talent collaborating to great success on the world stage.

Company of the Year Award - SoftBank Corporation https://www.softbank.jp/ and Cubic Telecom https://www.cubictelecom.com/

Mr. Takuo Obayashi, Director of SoftBank’s Cubic Telecom Integration Office accepted the award on behalf of both companies and shared a winner's speech at the podium on receiving the Company of the Year Award.

We were also honoured to share special video remarks by Cubic Telecom on their company and what it means for them to receive the award with SoftBank.

Click to view the full remarks

Comment by Takuo Obayashi, Director of SoftBank Corp.’s Cubic Telecom Integration Office, SoftBank Corp.: 

“We at SoftBank Corp. are deeply honored to receive the Company of the Year Award from the Ireland Japan Chamber of Commerce (IJCC). This recognition is a testament to the strong and fruitful partnership between Ireland and Japan. Our collaboration with Cubic Telecom has been incredibly successful, and we are excited about the future possibilities this partnership holds.” 

 Comment by Barry Napier, CEO of Cubic Telecom: 

“On behalf of the entire Cubic Telecom team, I would like to express our sincere gratitude to the Ireland Japan Chamber of Commerce (IJCC) for this prestigious award. At Cubic, our mission is to lead the way in shaping the future of software-defined vehicles and other high-value mobile assets through the power of global connectivity. 

Our partnership with SoftBank Corp., announced late last year, marked the largest software deal ever in Ireland—an achievement that reflects not only the dedication of our team but also the growing ties between Ireland and Japan. Together with SoftBank, we are set to provide innovative connectivity solutions to leading vehicle manufacturers around the world, and I am truly excited for what lies ahead.” 

Mr. Takuo Obayashi, pictured with team members of SoftBank Corporation, IJCC President Yoshihiro Tsuchiya and the Ambassador of Ireland to Japan, H.E. Damien Cole with the Company of the Year award.

The Ireland Japan Chamber of Commerce extends a sincere Comhghairdeas again to all the award recipients.

We were delighted to honour the incredible achievements of the Ireland-Japan business community on our stage. The bonds between Ireland and Japan continue to grow from strength to strength, thanks to the unwavering commitment of the leaders in business, community and culture across both countries.

Go raibh míle maith agat to everyone who attended this year's Ireland Japan Business Awards. We were honoured to bring the community together for this annual tradition and we sincerely look forward to welcoming you all again next year.