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Prime Minister's Diary

Prime Minister visits the Republic of Turkey

From October 28 to October 30, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe visited the Republic of Turkey.

Prime Minister Abe held a summit meeting with Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Prime Minister of Turkey, at the Turkish Prime Minister’s office in Istanbul and attended the ceremony to open the Marmaray Project, a symbol of Turkey-Japan cooperation. He said in his address at the reception of the Joint Venture for this project,

“Tomorrow, on the 90th anniversary of the Proclamation of the Republic of Turkey, service will begin on the Bosphorus Rail Tube Crossing, something which could be called a dream of the Turkish people spanning 150 years. I would like to offer my heartfelt congratulations for this historic accomplishment, achieved through the cooperation of Japan and Turkey.”

“I have also heard that it would be nearly impossible to construct a tunnel at a depth of 60 meters along the base of the Bosporus Strait. May I again express my respect for the strength of will and passion of all people who have been involved in the project, which made the impossible, possible.

Since 1999, the Japanese Government has provided ODA loans toward this project totaling over approximately 1.5 billion dollars. I am overjoyed to have become a partner for the realization of this grand dream. It is something which makes me proud to be Japanese.

Next year marks the 90th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and Turkey. I want to conclude my remarks by hoping that this Rail Tube Crossing stretching over Bosphorus will truly become a symbol of friendship between Japan and Turkey, making the relationship between our two countries even closer, and that our bilateral relations will develop further.”

 

Photographs and text courtesy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan and the Public Relations Office of the Government of Japan.

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