Japan’s Defence Minister Gen Nakatani will hold talks in Türkiye on Tuesday focused on defence industry cooperation, including the potential acquisition of Turkish-made drones, a diplomatic source said. The move comes as Tokyo seeks to expand the role of unmanned systems across its armed forces.
Gen Nakatani is the first Japanese defence minister to pay an official visit to Türkiye, a NATO member keen to broaden its economic and strategic partnerships beyond Europe and the Middle East. Both countries are allies of the United States.
According to the diplomatic source in Ankara, Nakatani and his Turkish counterpart Yasar Guler will “discuss ways to expand cooperation on defence equipment and technology and exchange views on regional developments.”
They are also expected to promote greater contact between the Turkish Armed Forces and Japan’s Self-Defence Forces at unit level. Nakatani is scheduled to travel on to Istanbul on Wednesday.
Neither the Turkish nor Japanese defence ministries immediately responded to requests for comment.
During the visit, Nakatani will tour Turkish defence companies and facilities, including Turkish Aerospace Industries (TUSAS), naval shipyards, and Baykar, the drone manufacturer, an industry source said. Turkish firms have supplied drones to a number of countries, including Ukraine, while Japan is preparing to deploy unmanned aerial vehicles across its ground, air and naval forces. Turkish-made drones are among the options Tokyo is considering, the source added.
Both Türkiye and Japan condemned Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, although Ankara has maintained cordial relations with Moscow and has not joined Western sanctions.
The trip to Türkiye is part of Nakatani’s regional tour from 17–22 August, which also includes stops in Djibouti and Jordan.
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