Message of Abdullah Gul

Like Japan, Turkey is a country with a long history and rich historical heritage. Anatolia has been the cradle of many civilizations, which are partly explained throughout “The Year of Turkey in Japan” with the generous cooperation of the Japanese Government and its people.

For more than 100 years ago, since the period of the Ottoman Empire and the Meiji Era of Japan, Turkey and Japan have been enjoying friendly relations. The benevolent attitude of Japan following the tragedy of the Ertugrul Frigate of the Ottoman Empire, which sank off the coast of Japan in 1890, laid the foundation stone for these relations.

There has never been a political problem between Turkey and Japan. Today there is a close cooperation between the two countries in political, cultural and economic endeavors. Mainly, there is a sizeable Japanese investment in Turkey.

State-to-state relations are enhanced by the human-to-human relations since we share the same ideals and values such as democracy, human rights and rule of law, and many personal similarities ranging from language to the customs of the social life.

Japanese people are held in high esteem in Turkey as a very innovative and industrious people.

Turkey, as a part of both Asia and Europe, pursues a multidimensional foreign policy and follows, with keen interest, the developments taking place in the Asia–Pacific region, which is emerging as another power center in today's world.

Turkey and Japan play an important role in the maintenance of peace and stability and the promotion of prosperity in our respective regions.

Within the framework of our Asian policy, we attach a special importance to further developing our relations with Japan in every field.

I strongly believe that the activities throughout “The Year of Turkey in Japan” and the Exhibition “History of Friendship Between Turkey and Japan” in particular will certainly contribute to the already very strong Turkish-Japanese friendship and cooperation.

Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Turkey
Abdullah Gul