Toward Building a Deeper Relationship between Türkiye and Japan for the Next 100 Years

Abstract

The year 2024 marks the 100th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Türkiye and Japan. The Republic of Türkiye and Japan established diplomatic relations on August 6, 1924. The legacy of the Ertuğrul incident was firmly entrenched between the two countries. On the other hand, although there is no conflict between Türkiye and Japan due to their geographical distance, it is also difficult to foster a concrete cooperative relationship. For this reason, the relationship between the two countries was often referred to as “romanticism.” Furthermore, to take a deeper look at the relationship between Türkiye and Japan, it is essential to better understand the issues that each other faces. This article looks back at the past relationship between the two countries, in which it was difficult to see a concrete cooperative relationship despite the good relationship, and examines the diplomatic constraints and public opinion that Japan faces and what areas the two countries will pursue in more concrete ways in the future. The study considers whether such cooperation is possible, mainly from Japan’s perspective.