Turkish first lady meets Japan's crown princess in Ankara

By Merve Yildizalp

ANKARA (AA) – Turkish first lady Emine Erdogan on Wednesday met Japan's Crown Princess Kiko, who is in Ankara for an official visit to mark the 100th anniversary of Japanese-Turkish relations.

Erdogan and Kiko visited the Nation’s Library in the capital Ankara.

Their first stop was the Fatih Sultan Mehmet exhibition, opened to commemorate the 571st anniversary of the conquest of Istanbul.

Following the exhibition tour, Erdogan and the princess moved to the Cihannuma Hall, where they posed for a souvenir photo.

Later, they visited the Japan section in the library, which houses 600 books in Japanese.

"Our wish is for this meaningful visit to further strengthen the cooperation between our countries," Erdogan said on X after their meeting.

Japan’s Crown Prince Fumihito and Crown Princess Kiko arrived in Ankara on Tuesday evening, marking the royal couple's first visit to Türkiye and the 100th anniversary of the two nations’ diplomatic relations. They are scheduled to return to Japan on Sunday.

This visit by the Japanese royal couple underscores the two nations’ long-lasting bond and mutual respect, promising to enhance bilateral understanding and cooperation.