:: Shingetsu Institute ::

The following is a round-up of recent stories on Japan-Turkey bilateral relations.

JAPAN TOBACCO BIDS FOR TEKEL

The Turkish government is in the process of privatizing the well-known company Tekel, and Japan Tobacco (JT) is one of the top suitors for Tekel’s cigarette business. JT is said to be preparing a bid worth about US$1.5 billion to acquire the Turkish company and its six factories.

Tekel has been in a losing battle with Philip Morris International, with the Turkish company now holding a 34% domestic market share to Philip Morris’ 43%.

JT’s main rival for the acquisition of Tekel is thought to be British American Tobacco, which clearly has the financial resources to match the JT bid if they are so inclined. Also, it is said that the Turkish government would really like to find local Turkish buyers for the company. The JT deal is thus far from assured. If another company suddenly swoops in, then JT might just get… smoked.

JAPAN-TURKEY CONSULTATIONS ON CONSULAR AFFAIRS

A bilateral meeting was held in Ankara on the 18th between MOFA Deputy Director-General for Consular Affairs Jun Yamazaki and the Turkish foreign ministry’s Director General for Consular Affairs Hasan Kemal Gur. In the Japanese-language summary of the talks it seems that the focus was on Turkish illegal overstayers in Japan and some kind of Turkish criminal groups in the country, as well as measures for the safety of Japanese travelers in Turkey.

I haven’t heard too much before about Turkish criminal groups in Japan. In the 1990s there were some Iranian drug dealers and such in Japan, but most of them were expelled from the country. To the best of my knowledge, there are less than 3,000 Turkish nationals living in Japan at present.

MAGNIFICENT OTTOMAN DYNASTY EXHIBITION

Although it has recently ended, we should note that the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum hosted an exhibition called “Treasures of the Topkapı Palace: Magnificent Ottoman Dynasty” from August 1st to September 24th. The exhibit was organized by Turkey’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism and featured “kitchen utensils such as coffee pitchers, soup bowls, trays and plates; bathroom items such as Turkish bath bowls, bath pans and jugs and accessories such as emerald earrings, necklaces, bangles and jewelry boxes.” Prince Takahito Mikasa is one of the honorary presidents of the exhibition.

The Treasures of the Topkapi Palace and the Magnificent Ottoman Dynasty

Photo: Advertisement for Topkapi exhibition in Kyoto

Source: Museum of Kyoto

For those in Japan who missed the Tokyo exhibition, you will still have your chance in Kyoto and Nagoya:

Museum of Kyoto: October 6th to December 2nd

Nagoya City Art Museum: December 11th to February 11th, 2008