Abdullah Gül landed in Japan on Wednesday for a five-day trip, the first by a Türkiye head of state to the country, accompanied by ministers and roughly 150 business leaders. His itinerary includes lunch with Emperor Akihito, talks with Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda, and economic forums in Tokyo and Osaka.
Trade between the two countries totaled $3.9 billion in 2007, though $3.7 billion of that figure represented Japanese exports to Türkiye. Gül noted that Japanese direct investment in Türkiye remained far below its potential, despite the presence of companies such as Toyota and Honda.
The two leaders are also expected to discuss regional affairs, including developments in the Middle East and Central Asia. Japan, constitutionally pacifist since 1945, is considering its first ground troop deployment to Afghanistan, where Türkiye already has peacekeeping forces.
Cultural ties also featured in Gül's remarks. Around 170,000 Japanese tourists visit Türkiye annually, and 2010 has been designated "Japanese Year" in Türkiye, mirroring a "Turkish Year" Japan held in 2003. Japan also finances several infrastructure projects in Türkiye, among them the Bosphorus Rail Tube Crossing, a 3.3-kilometer metro tunnel built partly underwater.
Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this wire report, first published in June 2008, in its own words.