Japan Explores Turkish Drone Deal in First Ministerial Visit to Ankara

Japan’s Defence Minister Gen Nakatani held talks with his Turkish counterpart Yasar Guler in Ankara on 19 Aug, marking the first official visit to Turkey by a Japanese defence chief. The ministers agreed to deepen cooperation on defence equipment and technology and to step up unit-level contacts between their armed forces. Nakatani’s delegation is inspecting Turkish defence companies, including drone maker Baykar and Turkish Aerospace Industries. Officials on both sides said discussions covered the possible purchase of Turkish-made unmanned combat aerial vehicles, but stressed that negotiations are at an early stage and no agreement was signed. Tokyo is weighing platforms such as Baykar’s battle-tested Bayraktar TB2 and the larger Akinci as part of a broader push to expand unmanned capabilities across Japan’s ground, air and maritime Self-Defense Forces. Japanese planners see drones as a cost-effective way to monitor extended sea lanes and counter China’s growing naval presence in the western Pacific. The Ankara stop forms part of Nakatani’s 17–22 Aug regional tour that also includes Djibouti and Jordan, underscoring Japan’s efforts to strengthen security partnerships beyond its traditional allies.