Turkish state body TIKA organizes iftar in Japan

By Hakan Nural

ANKARA (AA) - The Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) has organized an iftar (fast-breaking) dinner in Japan's capital for the first time.

Turkey's Ambassador to Tokyo Hasan Murat Mercan, TIKA's head of East and Southeast Asia, and Latin America's Rahman Nurdun and head of Japan Muslim Association attended the iftar.

A large number of non-Muslim Japanese also participated in the iftar program at the Tokyo Mosque on Wednesday.

The Tokyo Mosque was completed in 1938 by a Turkish community from Kazan (Russia). When it fell into disrepair, a major reconstruction operation was completed by Turkish architect Muharrem Hilmi Senalp in 2000 with help from the Tokyo Turkish Association.

Mosque Imam Muhammad Rashid Alas thanked TIKA for its support.

Nurdun said he was pleased to see the large outcome at the first organized iftar in Tokyo.

He said TIKA will continue to make iftar programs in the upcoming years, adding that TIKA would like to develop new cooperation projects in Japan.