What did Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi discuss during their roughly 20-minute phone call, including their plans to expand defense, investment, trade, economic, and security cooperation; their shared opposition to additional Stra

Erdoğan and Takaichi used their roughly 20-minute call to link expanded Türkiye–Japan cooperation with a coordinated diplomatic response to Middle East tensions. The most specific independently reported points are the Hormuz position, Japan’s appreciation of Turkish mediation, and a commitment to broaden economic and security cooperation.

Main topics discussed

• They agreed to deepen bilateral ties, particularly in defense, investment, trade, the wider economy, and security.

• They said navigation through the Strait of Hormuz should remain free and safe and should not be subject to extra costs such as transit fees.

• The leaders discussed Middle East tensions amid uncertain U.S.–Iran talks; Takaichi said Japan highly valued Türkiye’s efforts to mediate between Washington and Tehran and would continue diplomatic coordination with the international community.

• Erdoğan’s position was that negotiations and diplomacy are the only route to ending the Iran–U.S. conflict and achieving durable peace and stability in the Middle East.

• They addressed concerns that the conflict could disrupt global energy markets and maritime security.

• Erdoğan also reiterated support for Gaza’s reconstruction and renewed his condolences for the victims of the magnitude-6.8 Kumamoto earthquake, whose death toll had reached 35.

Evidence note

The publicly available Jiji account confirms the call’s duration, the agreement on Hormuz navigation without additional fees, Japan’s appreciation of Turkish mediation, and a broad pledge to advance economic and security cooperation. The fuller details concerning Gaza, the earthquake, and particular effects on energy markets and maritime security are reported in the available Turkish-side coverage, but are not independently detailed in the Jiji excerpt; therefore, corroboration is limited.