Existing Bonds Between Türkiye And Japan Harbinger New Benefits: Now And For The Future

In each step that we take now together we will make stronger your centuries proven ties also for next generations

Türkiye and Japan share strong bonds of friendship and solidarity which are deep-rooted in history. These longstanding bonds are based on shared traditions and values, which have survived through centuries, despite the geographical distance separating the two countries.

Although our diplomatic relations with Japan commenced in 1924, actual ties started to be established long before. Japan’s help to Ottoman sailors when Ertuğrul Frigate hit the rocks near Kushimoto in 1890, Turkish Airline’s rescue operation of the Japanese citizens from Tahran during the Iran-Iraq War in 1985, Turkish Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency’s (AFAD) support to Japan during the tragic earthquake in Eastern Japan in March 2011 were some of the major examples symbolizing and solidifying our spirit of solidarity.

The strength of our historical ties can easily be observed in the present as well. In fact, after the recent devastating earthquakes which occurred in Türkiye in February 2023, Japan was among the first countries to extend its determined support to our country. Without any doubt, our solidarity and cooperation will only become stronger in the future.

Today, Türkiye and Japan have a wide potential to collaborate in various fields, from economy, finance, energy and defense industry to culture, tourism, infrastructure, disaster management, and science and technology. We share common values and like-minded approaches towards various global issues, including non-proliferation of nuclear weapons, the UN Reform, climate change, upholding international law, common action against unilateral efforts to change the status quo. The Strategic Partnership between our countries established in 2013 has consolidated these common goals and paved the way for further cooperation also in line with current needs deriving from the developments in the international environment. Japan’s “Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP)” strategy and Türkiye’s “Asia Anew” Initiative also have overlapping visions such as promotion of peace and the rule of law, multi-layered connectivity, safety of maritime passageways, which create further opportunities for both countries to collaborate and support each other as two key actors in their regions and also globally.

Economic and commercial relations are significant components of our bilateral relationship. Moreover, the current conjecture and the state of global economies require our economic partnership to be closer and stronger than ever, in which the private sector has an essential role to play. The world has just started to recover from the disruptions in the global supply chain caused by Covid-19. In the meantime, the negative effects of Russia-Ukraine war on energy and commodity prices continue to persist. These aspects in addition to the increasing unpredictability and competition in our respective regions continue to impel both countries to seek new economic partnerships and consolidate the existing ones.

For Türkiye Japan represents a successful accumulation of advanced technology, finance capital and reliable business culture. For Japan on the other hand, Türkiye holds a strong position in terms of its geographical location connecting Middle East, Caucasus, Europe and Africa as well as its integration with the EU market, developed industrial infrastructure, dynamic and skilled workforce and vast experience in conducting business in many regions including the Middle East, Africa and Central Asia.

The current conjecture and the state of global economies require our economic partnership to be closer and stronger than ever, in which the private sector has an essential role to play

Japan is our third largest trading partner after China and South Korea in the Asia-Pacific region. When our commercial relations are examined, our exports to Japan were approximately 664 million Dollars (514 million Dollars in 2021), and imports were 4,56 billion Dollars (4.28 million Dollars in 2021) in 2022. While our volume of trade consistently increases each year, the balance needs to be improved. In this respect, we attach particular importance to the conclusion of the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA). We strongly believe that EPA will not only contribute to a more robust trade relationship but also pave the way for further Japanese investments in Türkiye. We are also in the process of negotiating a Social Security Agreement (SSA) with Japan. Both countries have clear political will at highest levels to conclude these agreements, however more effort needs to be exerted at technical level to address the remaining issues.

Investment partnerships constitute another important dimension of our economic relations with Japan. Obviously, we have yet to utilize our full potential. Japan is one of the leading sources of FDI flows in the world. However, Japanese firms’ investments in Türkiye are still not at the desired levels. From 2002 to 2022, value of Japan’s FDI to Türkiye reached 3,36 billion Dollars. In order to enhance our partnerships with Japan, we have accelerated our efforts to support the investment opportunities in Türkiye, along with promotions through organization of seminars and forums, and inviting business delegations to our country.

In facilitating our economic cooperation, presence of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Japanese Bank of Cooperation (JBIC) and Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) in Türkiye and their cooperation with Turkish institutions and private sector are especially crucial. The Technical Cooperation Agreement between our countries which also clarified the official status of JICA Office in Türkiye was enforced in January last year. Moreover, in February 2022, a greenthemed loan agreement worth 220 million Dollars was signed between Industrial Development Bank of Türkiye (TSKB) and JBIC. Currently, there are more opportunities for Turkish and Japanese companies to engage in joint projects in various areas ranging from construction, manufacturing, energy and telecommunications to agriculture and medicine.

There are more opportunities for Turkish and Japanese companies to engage in joint projects in various areas ranging from construction, manufacturing, energy and telecommunications to agriculture and medicine

Our economic cooperation is not only confined to our countries’ territories but also growing in third countries. One recent example is the MoU signed between Mitsubishi Corporation and Çalık Holding with the inclusion of Senegalese petroleum company Petrosen during TICAD 8 in August 2022 to support the fertilizer production in Senegal. We hope for both countries’ private sectors to pursue such opportunities in all possible sectors, and as Governments we will do our best to support such endeavors.

In order to enhance business and commercial relations, face to face interactions are undoubtedly important. Ensuing the removal of border restrictions in Japan in October 2022, not only touristic but also business-related visits between our countries are gradually and significantly increasing. In the last four months, we have received several Turkish business delegations and exporters to Japan in multiple fields including textiles, machinery, iron and steel, fishery, animal products and confectionary. Turkish Airlines (THY) play an important role in this regard as its flights between Tokyo and Istanbul has never stopped even during the pandemic and has currently increased to 10 times in a week. In December, we expect Osaka-Istanbul flights to start as well, which will further help broaden the scope of touristic and business contacts.

We are confident about the future of our strong bonds with Japan including the economic and commercial spheres. Our private sectors will continue to be an essential force in our search for new avenues in a world of developing challenges as well as new opportunities. In this respect, closer contacts and cooperation between DEIK and Keidanren including in the form of the Business Council has a special contribution to offer to this relationship. In each step that we take now together we will not only reap new benefits and flourish, but also deepen and make stronger our centuries proven ties also for next generations.

Tokyo Ambassador to the Republic of Türkiye, Korkut GÜNGEN