Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey

The Turkish-Japanese Business Council’s 20th Joint Meeting, which took place in Ankara, was attended by TOBB and DEİK President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu, Economy Minister Zafer Çağlayan, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzō Abe and Keidanren President Mr. Hiromasa Yonekura.

In his speech at the meeting, Hisarcıklıoğlu expressed the importance they put on Japanese investments in Turkey and that they are prepared to abolish to obstacles to the accomplishment of goals to this end.

Stating that Turkey is the democratic country with an open market economy between Italy and China, Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “Since the crisis of 2008, 6 million people have become unemployed in Europe. We have, on the other hand, since the last quarter of 2008, have provided employment to 4.8 million people. While Europe struggles with the problems of today, we are focused on the future. The region rich in petroleum in North Africa and the Middle East is embroiled in internal strife. This is because economies based on petroleum, while they may bring riches to the government, leave the people poor. We, without petroleum and natural gas but with entrepreneurial spirit, continue to export and increase the prosperity of our people. By connecting the energy resources of the region to the West, we are becoming an energy base.”

Extolling the attractive qualities of Turkey for investments, Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “We say that we should combine your great knowledge and technological accumulation with our influence and advantage in the region. Be sure that in this region which is reshaping itself, those who do business with Turkey prosper. As TOBB and DEİK, we are prepared to guide Japanese companies, to find trading and investment partners. We serve the Turkish-Japanese cooperation.”

- Other speakers

The Economy Minister Zafer Çağlayan, in his speech during the opening of the 20th Joint Meeting of the Turkish-Japanese Business Council, expressed his wishes for the Japanese Prime Minister Shinzō Abe to contribute to the bilateral investment and opportunities for cooperation in third countries for both countries as well as the friendship relations.

Çağlayan stressed the importance of starting talks for a Free Trade Agreement between Turkey and Japan, “Negotiations need to begin as soon as possible.”

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzō Abe expressed his happiness in attending the 20th Joint Meeting of the Turkish-Japanese Business Council.

Stating that he would be meeting with Prime Minister Erdoğan in the afternoon, Abe said, “It is my hope that the strategic dialogue will increase as a result of these talks. We will be working with a focus on defense. Our relations will reach a new dimension.”
Also reminding that both İstanbul and Tokyo are candidates to host the 2020 Olympics, Abe said, “I will be the first one to applaud if İstanbul is chosen to host the Olympics, as I am sure the vice versa will be true for Turkey.”

Hisarcıklıoğlu’s Japanese counterpart, Keidanren President Hiromasa Yonekura stated that an important part of Japan’s growth strategy is the strengthening of economic relations.
Yonekura mentioned that negotiations for an economic partnership between Turkey and Japan will begin as soon as possible.
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