Turkey sees strong potential for drone cooperation with Japan, says Turkish Foreign Minister

Japanese Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan told Japanese newspaper Nikkei Asia that Ankara sees strong potential for defense industry cooperation with Tokyo, stressing that the joint development of unmanned aerial vehicles and complementary anti-drone technology capabilities could provide significant opportunities for the two countries.

Defense links and technology transfer

Fidan highlighted Turkey’s emergence as a major drone producer, noting that Ankara is keen to deepen ties with Tokyo in aviation and unmanned systems. “Turkey and Japan have complementary capabilities and we believe there is strong potential for mutually beneficial collaboration,” he said, adding that Turkish drone technologies have proven themselves in different operational environments. The minister also said progress had been made in negotiations on a social security agreement between the two countries, expressing hope that an agreement could be reached in the near future, while emphasizing that the potential for broader cooperation remains untapped.

Critical minerals and supply chains

Highlighting broader economic opportunities, Fidan said there is significant potential between Turkey and Japan in the areas of energy, digital transformation, aerospace technologies, robotics and resilient supply chains. Addressing critical minerals, he stressed that Ankara’s strategic objective extends beyond extraction and aims to produce high-value intermediate and final products. “The strategic objective is not simply extraction, but the production of high value-added intermediate and final products,” Fidan said, arguing that cooperation with Japanese technology and investment could create a real win-win partnership. He added that Turkey is ready to work closely with Tokyo in this area to develop advanced manufacturing capabilities.

Iranian nuclear deal and the Hormuz crisis

Commenting on the ongoing negotiations between Iran and the United States, Fidan said that “both sides want to reach a positive conclusion” and that an agreement is closer than ever. Following the ceasefire between the United States, Israel and Iran, attention has shifted to the Strait of Hormuz, where a de facto blockade continues to disrupt global shipping. Fidan said the Hormuz blockade “puts too much pressure” on both Washington and Tehran, stressing that “the international impact – including on energy security, food security and rising prices – is immense.” He added that the crisis has become a situation which takes precedence over nuclear issues in bilateral negotiations.

Regional stability and the NATO summit

Responding to questions about US President Donald Trump’s proposal that countries in the region join the Abraham Accords, Fidan noted that Ankara had historical and commercial ties with Israel before October 7, 2023. He stressed that the suspension of trade would only end when Israel stopped killing Palestinians and allowed Gaza residents to access basic human needs, adding that Ankara was seeking a two-state solution. Asked about statements by Israeli politicians describing Turkey as a future strategic threat, Fidan said Israeli domestic politics unfortunately requires an enemy to drive its regional ambitions. He added that everyone knows that Israel is not seeking security but more land, and that the international community should prevent Israel from further destabilizing the regional and global order.

Fidan stressed the importance of a broader vision of stability based on a regional cooperation platform, saying all countries should respect each other’s territorial integrity, sovereignty and security. He said recent history provided a “golden opportunity” for cooperation between Pakistan, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the Gulf states, noting that when things return to normal, Iran should also be part of it and that Israel could eventually join if it recognizes a Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders. Fidan said Turkey hoped to host leaders and defense ministers from the Indo-Pacific partners of NATO, including Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand, at the alliance’s summit scheduled for July in Ankara. Asked about the possibility of US President Donald Trump’s presence, Fidan said that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had spoken with Trump on several occasions and that the US president had never indicated that he would not participate, adding that all preparations were being made to welcome him.