Do Japan passport holders need a visa to visit IE?

No visa needed. Japanese ordinary passport holders can visit Ireland visa-free for tourism for up to 90 days. Ireland is not in the Schengen Area, so ETIAS does not apply. Japan is a non-visa-required nationality for Ireland. Japanese citizens holding an ordinary passport do not need to apply for a visa in advance for short tourist or business visits and may be granted permission to land for up to 90 days by an Irish immigration officer on arrival. Crucially, Ireland is NOT a member of the Schengen Area and operates its own independent immigration policy, so the Schengen 90/180 rule and the EU's ETIAS travel authorisation do not apply to entry into Ireland. (ETIAS, launching in late 2026, covers Schengen states only; Ireland has stated it will not join Schengen.) No electronic travel authorisation or visa-on-arrival is required. Admission is at the discretion of the immigration officer at the border, who may ask to see a passport valid for the duration of stay, proof of onward/return travel, sufficient funds, and evidence of accommodation and purpose of visit. The 90-day visa-free entry is for tourism, visiting family/friends, and short business meetings; it does not permit employment. Travelers should keep their landing stamp and not overstay, as Ireland enforces its own immigration rules separately from the rest of the EU.