It is a great pleasure to welcome you all here today to celebrate the 102nd anniversary of the proclamation of the Republic of Türkiye. Sharing this meaningful occasion with you here in Japan fills us with immense joy.

On this special occasion, we pay tribute and our deepest respects to Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder and the first President of our Republic, whose philosophy and achievements still remain a source of inspiration for our nation and the world at large.

Türkiye and Japan share a distinctive historical bond, built on the tragic Ertuğrul Frigate incident of 1890, during which the brave people of Kushimoto rescued 69 of our sailors and the Japanese Government provided their return to Türkiye. Since then, Japan has been engraved in the hearts of the Turkish people and the two nations have nurtured cordial and friendly sentiments towards each other.

Fast forward to 1985, Türkiye extended a helping hand by evacuating 215 Japanese citizens from Tehran during the Iran–Iraq War.

As for the past 25 years, we have been witnessing the generosity and solidarity of the Turkish and Japanese people, as they run to help each other without hesitation in the wake of the devastating earthquakes that struck both countries.

Türkiye and Japan, enjoy common objectives and shared values, and as such, have elevated their relations to strategic partnership level in 2013.

We celebrated the centennial of the establishment of our diplomatic relations last year.

It gives us great pleasure to see this remarkable momentum continue, marked by a number of visits since the beginning of this year.

The Osaka Expo also served as a fruitful platform to further strengthen the cultural and social ties between our people. We welcomed more than 1.2 million visitors at the Turkish pavilion.

People-to-people exchanges are also on the rise, as we have now surpassed pre-pandemic levels in tourism. The increasing number of flights between Türkiye and Japan plays an important role in further enhancing these ties.

We remain committed to further enhancing our relations in various fields, including trade, investment, culture, tourism, science and higher education.

Before concluding, I once again pay tribute to Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, his comrades, and all those who sacrificed their lives to build the thriving Türkiye we cherish today. Their legacy continues to inspire us for a brighter future.

Thank you all for gracing us with your presence on this very special occasion.

Now, with your permission, I would also like to address my fellow citizens in Turkish