1890 -- Osman Pasha Delivers Letter of Friendship to Meiji Emperor
1921 -- Japanese Legation in Turkey Opens
1924 -- Japan Recognizes the Republic of Turkey
1925 -- Japanese Legation in Ankara Raised to the Status of Embassy
1925 -- Turkish Embassy in Tokyo Opens
1945 -- Turkey Severs Diplomatic Relations with Japan
1945 -- Turkey Declares War on Japan
1946 -- Japanese Embassy in Ankara Closes
1952 -- Turkish Embassy in Tokyo Reopens
1953 -- Japanese Embassy in Ankara Reopens
1965 -- Japanese Consulate in Istanbul Opens
1972 -- Japanese Consulate in Istanbul Upgraded to Consulate-General

Economic and Trade Relations

In 2005, the balance of trade between Japan and Turkey was heavily in Japan’s favor. In that year, Japan’s exports to Turkey were valued at about US$2.19 billion (automobiles, machinery, etc.); and Japan’s imports from Turkey totaled about US$286 million (tobacco, food, carpets, etc.).

MOFA Webpage

Japan-Turkey Relations

Embassy Webpage

Embassy of Japan in Ankara (No English)
Embassy of Turkey in Tokyo

2005 Newsletters

92 -- Prince Tomohito Mikasa Visits Turkey
98 -- JAMES Lecture on “The Middle East and Japan”
134 -- More on the Koizumi Visit to West Asia
138 -- American Historical Association Meeting: Transnational Imaginings

2006 Newsletters

152 -- Sharon’s Stroke Stymies Koizumi’s Plans
159 -- Turkey Is Our Partner!
166 -- The Light and Shadow of Japan-Turkey Friendship
180 -- Rapid Deportment Policy Draws Flak
182 -- Seminar Series to Understand the Middle East
210 -- Culture Clash: A Hiccup in Japan-Turkey Relations
231 -- Turkey, A Close Friend to Japan
260 -- Turkey Wants Help to Construct Nuclear Plant / Airport at Doha
331 -- The Foreign Muslim Population in Japan
333 -- A Japanese Approach: Cultural Diplomacy in the Middle East
338 -- Japanese Trade with the Islamic World in 2005
391 -- Some Ugly Realities in Beautiful Country Japan
402 -- “Turkey Will Be the Japan of the Future” / Heading to Japan
406 -- Japan-Turkey Trade / Nuclear Energy and Bridge / Turkish Exporters
414 -- Prime Minister Abe Hosts an Iftar Dinner

2007 Newsletters

477 -- Raise the Ertugrul? A Turkish Initiative in Wakayama Prefecture
490 -- A Report on the Ertugrul Project in Kushimoto
532 -- Taro Aso’s Speech on West Asian Policy
535 -- Masayuki Yamauchi on Japanese West Asian Strategy
577 -- Marubeni-Led Consortium Wins Bid for the Marmaray Project
617 -- Vice-Minister Shotaro Yachi Promotes MOFA Agenda in Turkey
626 -- Ambassador Tomoyuki Abe on Japan-Turkey Friendship
639 -- A Report on Two Recent Conferences in Istanbul
670 -- Support for Archaeological Museum / Kurdish Refugees
753 -- JT Bids for Tekel / Consular Affairs / Magnificent Ottoman Exhibition
756 -- Selcuk Esenbel Receives Awards from the Japanese Government
764 -- Dogan Family Tells Their Story to the Canadian Press
855 -- Cemil Aydin Interview: Imperial Japan and Anti-Westernism

Information for the “Japan-Turkey Relations” page was compiled by Michael Penn.