TOKYO - ''Turkey Year'' will officially start in Japan on February 17 with activities which will also be attended by State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Ertugrul Yalcinbayir.
A press conference will be held in Tokyo on February 17 in order to inform press organs in Japan about the official beginning of ''Turkey Year'' which aims to promote historical and cultural aspects of Turkey in Japan and improve commercial and economic relations between the two countries.
A reception will be hosted and a fashion show in which traditional Turkish clothes will be exhibited will be held after the press conference.
''Turkish Night'' will be organized at the Imperial Hotel in the evening. A fashion show in which clothes designed by Yildirim Mayruk will be exhibited will take place during the night.
Japanese-Turkish Friendship Association Honorary Chairman Prince Mikasa and his wife Princess Yuriko will attend the Turkish night.
Sadberk Hanim Museum Collection Exhibition will be opened in Suntory Museum the same day.
A total of 621 pieces reflecting Anatolian civilization from B.C. 6,000 to the first quarter of the 20th century will be displayed in the exhibition.
The exhibition which included pieces dating to Phyrigian, Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman eras will remain open till April 6.
A ceremony will be held in Turkey's Embassy building for the beginning of the ''Turkey Year'' on February 18.
Culture Ministry folkloric dance group will perform show in Shibuya Municipality Hall on February 24 and 25.
Caricatures that were awarded at the 19th International Aydin Dogan Caricature Competition will be displayed on February 12. The exhibition which will be inaugurated in Shoto Arts Museum will be open till February 23.
Turkey's Ambassador to Tokyo Solmaz Unaydin told A.A correspondent that many cultural, commercial and economic activities would be held in Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Kashiwazaki, Saitama, Sapporo, Yokohama, Hiroshima, and Fukuoka during 2003, which had been declared as ''Turkey Year'' in Japan.
Unaydin said that Turkey would join tourism and trade fair with a larger delegation that year when compared with the previous years.
Turkish artifacts, carpets and textile products would be displayed throughout Japan, Unaydin noted.
Unaydin said that the national football team would come to Japan to have a friendly match with Japan and famous Turkish singers would give concerts.
''Only cultural and historical promotion of Turkey in Japan is not sufficient. We want to enter into Japanese market. Also, we aim to increase number of Japanese people visiting Turkey by these promotion campaigns. Shortly, the year 2003 will be the year of Turkey's promotion in Japan,'' Unaydin added.