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Japanese Princess Akiko of Mikasa pledged to continue her family's three-generation commitment to strengthening Türkiye-Japan relations during a conference on Tuesday marking 135 years since the Ertugrul Frigate disaster that cemented ties between the two nations.
"The bond that my grandfather, father and I have carried for three generations is not just a family story but a humanitarian, cultural and scientific bridge between Japan and Türkiye," Princess Akiko said at the event in Istanbul.
"I will continue this responsibility inherited from my family to pass on the friendship between Türkiye and Japan to future generations," she added.
The conference, titled "Strong Bond Among Three Generations in the Prince Mikasa Family: Türkiye Friendship," was attended by Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism Gokhan Yazgi and other dignitaries.
Princess Akiko, representing the third generation of the Prince Mikasa family's involvement in Türkiye-Japan cultural relations, recalled her first overseas trip to Türkiye as a high school sophomore for the opening of the Turkish-Japanese Foundation Cultural Center, which her grandfather Prince Mikasa helped establish.
"It was my grandfather who first showed me how fascinating historical science could be and planted the seeds of the researcher spirit within me," she said, adding, "That's why I wanted to see firsthand the archaeological sites in Türkiye that my grandfather valued."
The princess emphasized how the Kaman-Kalehoyuk excavations have become a symbol of Japan-Türkiye friendship. She described feeling the precious nature of the bonds formed with people, cultures and stories in Türkiye more deeply during the excavations.
"In the 2000s, the campaign my father started at my grandfather's request for the construction of the Kaman-Kalehoyuk Archaeological Institute and Museum marked the beginning of a new era for our family," Princess Akiko said.
"My father organized every detail from conferences to charity campaigns, from golf tournaments to concerts, and traveled to Türkiye repeatedly. During this process, our three-generation love for Türkiye became even stronger," she noted.
Princess Akiko recalled the historical events binding the two nations: "The Ertugrul Frigate tragedy in 1890, followed by Turkish Airlines' sacrifice in rescuing Japanese citizens during the 1985 Iran-Iraq War, further strengthened the bonds between the two countries. My father often said, 'They returned the help we gave at sea in the sky.'"
The conference coincided with the 135th anniversary of the Ertugrul Frigate disaster, considered the starting point of Türkiye-Japan diplomatic relations.
The frigate was sent to Japan in July 1889 in response to Japanese Prince Komatsu's October 1887 visit to Istanbul.
On Sept. 16, 1890, the Ertugrul Frigate was caught in a typhoon off Kushimoto and crashed into rocks, resulting in over 500 deaths with only 69 sailors surviving.
The Japanese government transported survivors to Canakkale on warships Hiei and Kongo in October 1890.
A monument erected in Kushimoto in 1891 for those who died in the accident continues to host annual memorial ceremonies.
The Turkish Museum, built in 1974, displays a model of the Ertugrul Frigate along with photographs and statues of the soldiers and commanders aboard.
The historical connection continues through modern naval exchanges. The TCG Kinalida corvette visited Japan in 2024 to mark the centennial of diplomatic relations and the 134th anniversary of Ertugrul's voyage, following the original route and visiting Kushimoto, Tokyo and Hiroshima in June.
Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force training ships Kashima and Shimakaze reciprocated with a visit to Istanbul's Sarayburnu Port in August 2024 for the 100th anniversary of diplomatic relations.
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