Speaking at a meeting in Tokyo with Japanese businesspeople, President Erdoğan said: “The rise of protectionism in trade and disruptions in free trade are worrisome. At such a time, the cooperation between Turkey and Japan is more valuable.”
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan made a speech at meeting with Japanese businesspeople in Tokyo.
Pointing out that global trade has been going through a turbulent period in the recent period, President Erdoğan warned that tariff walls and barriers in trade have started to rise again.
"Protectionist policies and trade wars cause a downward trend in global growth”
Protectionist policies and trade wars cause a downward trend in global growth and have a negative impact on developing economies, stated President Erdoğan, and said: “The rise of protectionism in trade and disruptions in free trade are worrisome. At such a time, the cooperation between Turkey and Japan is more valuable.”
"Turkey offers unique opportunities for Japanese investors”
Noting that Japan is Turkey’s third biggest trade partner in Asia and one of the pioneers of the Turkish industrialization, President Erdoğan underscored that Turkey, with its powerful market, high-quality labor force, geographical location and advanced transportation, communication and energy networks, offers unique opportunities for Japanese investors.
“I extend my gratitude to Japanese investors for their contributions to Turkey’s economic development”
The deep traces of Turkish-Japanese cooperation are seen in every sub-sector, from infrastructure to manufacturing, President Erdoğan stated, and continued: “Turkish and Japanese enterprises have their signatures in the giant bridges and tunnels that today connect Asia to Europe. On behalf of my country and people, I extend my gratitude to Japanese investors for their contributions to Turkey’s economic development.”
“The contractual framework of the Turkey-Japan commercial relations need to be strengthened”
Highlighting the need to strengthen the contractual framework of the commercial and investment relations between the two countries, President Erdoğan voiced Turkey’s desire to swiftly finalize the Economic Partnership Agreement and sign it in 2019 and further stressed that this agreement should observe a balance that takes into consideration shared goals in free trade and differences in terms of level of economic development.
“Turkey offers direct access to a wide range of markets”
Turkey is an important production and logistics hub in its region and offers direct access to a wide range of markets, underlined President Erdoğan, adding that many global investors prefer to enter new markets with Turkish investors.
“Consider Turkey to be a production base that has a direct access to a vast geography”
“As Turkey, we always support both our own entrepreneurs and international ─ first and foremost Japanese ─ investors,” the President stated, adding: “I want you to consider Turkey to be not only a good market with a young population but a production base that has a direct access to a vast geography.” Expressing his wish that Japanese companies will increase their investments in Turkey by diversifying them, President Erdoğan said they are aware of Japanese investors’ high-level sensitivity about security, and that malicious reports in Western media make Japanese investors refrain from coming to Turkey.
"Turkey is one of the securest countries in its region and the world”
Underscoring that due to its experience in anti-terror fight Turkey is one of the securest countries in not only its region but the world, President Erdoğan made it clear that there is no country that has regretted investing in Turkey and no entrepreneur whose problems have not been solved. Drawing attention to what he called as a business council meeting held last year in Istanbul between Turkish and Japanese businesspeople, President Erdoğan said this year’s meeting will be held in Tokyo in November, and that representatives of leading Turkish companies will be urged to participate in the meeting.
“We want to see more Japanese investors in Turkey’s energy projects”
“We want to see more Japanese investors in Turkey’s energy projects,” President Erdoğan further stressed, noting that Turkey can help Japan in terms of providing young and qualified labor force. President Erdoğan added: “The Japanese companies that have had great achievements in Turkey know well the high qualifications of Turkish workers. We have launched a dialogue process between our governments. In this sense, we might sign an employment agreement.”
President Erdoğan attends luncheon hosted by Chairman of the Turkey-Japan Inter-Parliamentary Friendship Caucus
Following the meeting, President Erdoğan participated in the luncheon hosted at Palace Hotel Tokyo by Toshihiro Nikai, Secretary-General of the Liberal Democratic Party of Japan and Chairman of the Turkey-Japan Inter-Parliamentary Friendship Caucus.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, Minister of Treasury and Finance Berat Albayrak, Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Ersoy and Minister of Trade Ruhsar Pekcan accompanied the President during the luncheon.