Turkish State Minister Kursad Tuzmen visited Tokyo in October 2006, meeting with leaders of the Tokyo Turkish-Japanese Business Council and members of Keidanen, the Japanese business federation, to explore bilateral investment opportunities.
Tuzmen said Japanese business leaders showed strong interest in Türkiye's nuclear energy sector. Talks also covered potential cooperation in shipbuilding, agriculture, construction, and tourism.
A separate trade opportunity arose from Japan's newly imposed sanctions on North Korea. Japanese firms had previously sourced ready-made garments and seafood from North Korea, and Tuzmen indicated Türkiye could step in to supply those same goods to the Japanese market.
During his Tokyo visit, Tuzmen also held discussions with roughly 20 members of the Japanese parliament and met with senior government officials, proposing that the two countries negotiate a preferential trade agreement.
Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this wire report, first published in October 2006, in its own words.