Japanese Defence Minister Gen Nakatani’s official visit to Türkiye this week marked a milestone in Ankara-Tokyo defence ties, with drone procurement emerging as a central agenda item alongside broader cooperation in defence industries.
On Tuesday, Nakatani met with his Turkish counterpart Yasar Guler in Ankara, becoming the first Japanese defence minister to visit Türkiye.
The two ministers held talks lasting more than 90 minutes, agreeing to deepen bilateral defence collaboration and launch consultations between senior defence officials to explore joint opportunities in equipment and technology.
“In light of today’s evolving global security environment, I would like to stress that we stand ready to make every possible effort to further advance our cooperation with our Japanese friends, particularly in the fields of defence industry and military relations,” Güler said in a social media post following the meeting.
Visit to Türkiye’s leading drone makers
As part of his programme, Nakatani also visited Turkish Aerospace Industries (TUSAS) and on Wednesday, toured Baykar, Türkiye’s leading drone producer.
In Istanbul, Baykar Chairman Selcuk Bayraktar and CEO Haluk Bayraktar briefed the Japanese delegation on the company’s activities, with Turkish Defence Industries Secretary Haluk Gorgun also in attendance.
“It was our pleasure to host His Excellency,” Baykar said in a post on the Turkish social media platform NSosyal, sharing images from the visit.
Possible drone procurement?
Japanese media have reported that Tokyo is preparing to earmark 200 billion yen (around $1.4 billion) from its fiscal 2026 budget to fast-track the acquisition of unmanned aerial vehicles.
Drone investments are a key part of Japan’s record 8.8 trillion yen defence budget request, with plans to integrate air, maritime, and underwater drones into the Self-Defense Forces by 2027.
While Tokyo is also assessing procurement options from the United States and Australia, Baykar’s combat-proven drones have attracted particular interest, according to The Japan Times.
Nakatani’s visit, which includes additional meetings with Turkish defence firms, signals Japan’s intent to position Turkish-made UAVs within its expanding defence portfolio — a step that could elevate bilateral ties from traditional friendship to strategic defence partnership.
