Turkish and Japanese Parliament Speakers Numan Kurtulmuş and Fukushiro Nukaga met in Tokyo on Tuesday to discuss their bilateral relations and cooperation.
"During our meeting, we discussed relations between our countries, current global issues and regional issues, particularly in Asia," Kurtulmuş posted on X.
He said the friendship between the two nations "goes back to the days of Sultan Abdul Hamid Khan and Japanese Emperor Meiji (and) continues to grow stronger today."
"Close cooperation between the governments as well as Parliaments will continue," he said after meeting Nukaga.
Kurtulmuş is leading a delegation of Turkish lawmakers as Japan and Türkiye mark the centenary of diplomatic relations, and the two sides have raised ties to a "strategic partnership."
On Monday, the Turkish official met with Japanese Crown Prince Akishino as part of his visit to Japan.
He also met with Masakazu Sekiguchi, chairperson of the Japan Advisory Council.
During his stay in Japan, Kurtulmuş and his delegation also visited the Tokyo Mosque, which is affiliated with the Turkish Presidency of Religious Affairs (Diyanet) in the capital of Japan, as well as the Yunus Emre Institute Center in Tokyo.
"Tokyo Mosque, which brings together people from different cultures and nations, is an exceptional example of the encompassing and inclusive nature of Turkish-Islamic civilization," Kurtulmuş said.
Friendly interactions between the two countries date back to the Meiji era, which lasted from 1868 to 1912 in Japan, and the Ottoman era, which ended in 1922.
Prince and Princess Komatsu of Japan visited the Ottoman Empire, a gesture the Ottoman frigate Ertuğrul reciprocated in 1890.
However, the frigate tragically sank off Wakayama Prefecture after encountering a typhoon, resulting in over 500 deaths.
Survivors were cared for in Japan, and memorial ceremonies are still held in both countries to commemorate this historic link.
The Tokyo and Ankara governments established formal ties on Aug. 6, 1924, and the Japanese Embassy in Türkiye opened the following year, in March 1925.
Despite interruptions during World War II, postwar visits by Japanese royals, including Prince Mikasa, strengthened ties.
The two countries have supported each other during crises, such as Japan's aid after the 1999 Türkiye earthquake and Türkiye’s assistance following Japan’s 2011 tsunami.
Japanese royal couple Akishino and Kiko paid a five-day visit to Türkiye in December, crowning the centenary of ties and marking the two nations’ long-lasting bond and mutual respect, promising to enhance bilateral understanding and cooperation.
In the Turkish media, Japan has earned the sobriquet “kara gün dost,” or rainy-day friend, which bears witness to the durable ties of mutual support that bind our two countries.
Disaster management is a field in which Japan and Türkiye can be expected to extend their cooperation as we look ahead to the next century of bilateral relations. But this would also be a good time to consider stepping up efforts in other areas.
Japan and Türkiye have yet to sign a free trade or economic partnership agreement.
