Japan’s Crown Prince, Princess to Trace Century-Long Ties with Turkey; Visit to Include Archaeological Site Linked to Prince Mikasa

By Kaori Sakaba / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer

18:16 JST, December 2, 2024

Crown Prince Akishino and Crown Princess Kiko will depart for Turkey on Tuesday on a goodwill visit to mark 100 years of diplomatic relations between Japan and Turkey.

The Imperial couple plans to visit an archaeological site connected to the late Prince Mikasa, a great-uncle of the crown prince and a scholar of ancient oriental history. Prince Mikasa supported the excavation at the site, and the crown prince and princess will examine the history of cultural and academic exchanges between the two countries that the Imperial family helped build.

The couple was to arrive in the country on Tuesday and visit places including Ankara and Istanbul. They are scheduled to attend a ceremony, make a courtesy visit to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his wife, see an exhibition and attend a concert to commemorate the centenary.

They are scheduled to visit the Kalehoyuk archaeological site in Kaman, central Turkey, on Saturday — the final day of their visit to the country.

Excavation is still underway at the site by the Middle Eastern Culture Center in Japan, which was established at the initiative of Prince Mikasa, who died in 2016. He conducted the groundbreaking ceremony on the site in 1986.

Atsuko Toyama, 85, an advisor to the Japan-Turkiye Society, recalled when Prince Mikasa asked her to check out the “stunning” archeological site before she started her term as ambassador to Turkey in 1996. She said she would report on the site every time she returned to Japan.

“Normally, foreign countries are not allowed to excavate archaeological sites,” said Toyama. “Respect for the Imperial family led to the excavation by a Japanese research institute.”

When the idea emerged to establish the Japanese Institute of Anatolian Archaeology (JIAA) as an institution affiliated with the Tokyo-based center, Prince Mikasa’s eldest son Prince Tomohito, who died in 2012, called for donations at lectures and on other occasions.

Prince Tomohito and his daughter Princess Akiko attended the inauguration of its research building in 2005.

According to the JIAA, nearly 40 years of research studies have led to the discovery of the world’s oldest steel, making it a base for researchers from all over the world.

At a press conference held last month before the goodwill visit, Crown Prince Akishino said, “It is very significant as an academic exchange to proceed with the research studies with Turkish people as well as researchers from other countries for nearly 40 years.”

The Imperial couple plans to observe the sorting of the excavated items and meet with people including Sachihiro Omura, 78, the JIAA’s director. Omura has been involved in the excavation since the research began.

When the research began, Omura was told by Prince Mikasa that he should continue the work. The JIAA has generated jobs in the local area. Some of the local children who helped with the excavations have become researchers, while others have studied through a scholarship program initiated by Prince Mikasa to become doctors and lawyers.

“Unlike researchers who were interested only in studies, Prince Mikasa valued giving back to the community and local people. I want to talk to Crown Prince Akishino and Crown Princess Kiko about that as well,” said Omura.