Japanese Defence Minister Visits Türkiye to Explore Drone and Defence Ties

Japan’s Defence Minister Gen Nakatani has visited Türkiye for high-level talks on defence industry cooperation, including the potential procurement of Turkish-made drones.

The trip reflects Japan’s efforts to expand the role of unmanned systems across its armed forces, The Caspian Post informs via foreign media.

Nakatani is the first Japanese defence minister to make an official visit to Türkiye, a NATO member seeking to broaden its economic and strategic ties beyond Europe and the Middle East. Both countries are close allies of the US.

During the visit, Nakatani is expected to meet with Turkish Defence Minister Yasar Guler to discuss enhancing collaboration on defence equipment and technology, as well as sharing views on regional security developments. Officials say the talks will also aim to strengthen interaction between the Turkish Armed Forces and Japan’s Self-Defence Forces at the unit level. Nakatani is scheduled to visit Istanbul on August 20.

The Japanese minister will tour Turkish defence facilities, including Turkish Aerospace Industries (TUSAŞ), naval shipyards, and the drone manufacturer Baykar. Turkish drones have been exported to several countries, including Ukraine, while Japan is expanding its use of unmanned aerial vehicles across ground, air, and naval forces. Turkish drones are being considered among possible options for Japan.

Both Türkiye and Japan condemned Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, although Türkiye has maintained economic relations with Moscow, unlike Japan, which has aligned with Western sanctions.

Nakatani’s Türkiye visit is part of a regional tour from August 17-22 that also includes Djibouti and Jordan.