100th anniversary of Japan-Türkiye relations celebrated with Marmaray event

ISTANBUL

Istanbul hosted a ceremony on Sunday to celebrate the 100th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Japan and Türkiye.

The event took place at the Yenikapı station of the Marmaray railway, which runs beneath the Bosphorus Strait, linking the European and Asian parts of the city, a project completed by a Japanese-Turkish consortium.

Enver İskurt, Türkiye’s Deputy Transport and Infrastructure Minister, expressed optimism about the potential for future collaboration between the two nations.

"In the coming period, I believe we will engage in more collaboration, particularly in sectors such as transportation, energy, tourism, and health, further solidifying our friendship," he stated.

Notable attendees included Japan's Deputy Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Minister Amakawa Hirofumi, Japan's Ambassador to Ankara Katsumata Takahiko, and Yalçın Eyigun, General Director of Infrastructure Investments at Türkiye’s Transport and Infrastructure Ministry.

İskurt underscored the importance of the Marmaray project, a fulfillment of a 150-year-old vision, highlighting it as a testament to the engineering and technological partnership between Japan and Türkiye. He noted the railway's impact on Istanbul's transportation network, carrying around 650,000 passengers daily and achieving nearly 1.2 billion passenger trips to date.

Acknowledging Japan's contribution to Türkiye’s industrial development, İskurt pointed out that over 200 Japanese firms have operations in the country.

"We are closely following international initiatives to develop uninterrupted transportation networks," he said.

Eyigun also praised the strong bilateral ties, sharing insights from his experience in a 2000 training program in Japan focused on underground construction technologies.

"Today, I am proud to say that our country has become a leader in this field, 24 years after my training," he stated.

He highlighted the Marmaray project as a premier example of bilateral cooperation, noting its historical roots dating back to an initiative started by Ottoman Sultan Abdulmecid in 1860.

After the speeches, participants explored an exhibition commemorating the anniversary at Yenikapı station. İskurt then traveled on a uniquely decorated Marmaray train to Üsküdar, announcing that it would continue to serve passengers until the year's end.

Amakawa Hirofumi, Japan's minister, described Marmaray as a critical project that exemplifies Japan’s high-quality infrastructure and mutual collaboration in fulfilling a long-held Turkish dream. He emphasized the use of Japanese ocean-floor tunnel technology for the Bosphorus crossing and acknowledged that celebrating the centenary of diplomatic ties would further strengthen cooperation between the nations.

Japan’s Ambassador Takahiko noted that Marmaray has reduced what was once a 15-minute ferry journey to just four minutes by train. He expressed satisfaction with the rail link's contribution to alleviating Istanbul's traffic and highlighted the enduring partnership formed through mutual assistance during challenging times. "A friend in need is a friend indeed," he said.

Kei Toyama from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) also lauded Marmaray as a symbol of friendship and a landmark infrastructure accomplishment.