Turkish PM meets descendants of Ottoman sailors' rescuers in Japan

TOKYO

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan met in Tokyo the descendants of the Japanese people who saved the lives of Ottoman sailors who were on a goodwill voyage to Japan more than a century ago.

The unfortunate event, seen as a milestone for Turkish-Japanese friendship, occurred when the Ottoman Ertugrul frigate sank off an island around the Japanese town of Kushimoto in 1890 while returning from a goodwill voyage to Japan. 

More than 580 sailors lost their lives when the frigate was caught in a typhoon off the coast of Wakayama Prefecture, and subsequently drifted into a reef and sank off Kushimoto. 

 The people of Kushimoto helped the stranded sailors, of which only 69 survived.

"These friendship ties founded 124 years ago will have enormous contributions in developing cooperation between the two countries," said Erdogan. "The Kushimoto people always have an exceptional place in our hearts as they laid the foundation for friendship ties." 

Head of Japanese Parliament's Turkish Friendship Group, Kanezo Muraoka, referred to plans to build a memorial for the Ottoman sailors, for which Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will write the epitaph.

Erdogan is paying a three-day visit to Japan accompanied by ministers and businessmen, with energy deals and economic relations being at the top of his agenda. The prime minister will also visit Malaysia and Singapore during his Asia trip. 

Erdogan also received a symbolic key to the city of Kushimoto from its mayor. 

englishnews@aa.com.tr