136 years have passed since the Ertuğrul Frigate disaster

136 years have passed since the Ertuğrul Frigate, considered the milestone of Türkiye-Japan relations, sank while returning from the Japan expedition.

Frigate Ertuğrul, carrying the first diplomatic delegation from the Islamic world to Japan in an organized manner, left Istanbul in July 1889 with a crew of 609 people.

The frigate visited Suez, Aden, Bombay, Colombo, Singapore, Hong Kong, Fukushima, Nagasaki, Kobe and reached Yokohama 11 months later.

Head of the Delegation Osman Pasha, who was accepted by Emperor Meiji of Japan, presented the letter and medal sent by Abdulhamid II to Meiji.

The Ottoman delegation, which made many contacts within the scope of the visit, left Yokohama on September 15, 1890.

Proceeding to the south of Honshu Island, Ertuğrul reached the coast of Kushimoto in Wakayama province on the evening of September 16, 1890.

The frigate was caught in the September typhoons that affect the south of Japan every year, around Cape Shionomiseki and Kii Ooshima Island.

Ertuğrul, who was dragged and hit the rocks, was torn into pieces and buried in the waters of the Pacific Ocean.

Historical sources record that only 69 sailors survived the accident and more than 500 Ottoman officers lost their lives.

While the sad story of the visit is considered the beginning of the diplomacy of the two countries, the spiritual legacy of the sunken frigates and beams has been kept alive in the hearts of the people of the two countries for 136 years.

Monument to the martyrs in Kushimoto in 1891

While Ertuğrul's sad legacy is considered the turning point of Ankara-Tokyo relations, a monument was erected for the martyrs in Kuşimoto, where the accident took place, in 1891.

Commemoration ceremonies are held every year in front of the monument, which was restored by Türkiye in 1937.

The Turkish Museum, built in 1974, has a model of the Ertuğrul Frigate, photographs and statues of the soldiers and commanders on the ship.

"One of the most important events in the formation of the perception of Japan"

Professor of Ankara University Department of Japanese Language and Literature and Member of the Board of Trustees and Board of Directors of the Turkish-Japanese Foundation. Dr. Ali Merthan Dündar made evaluations about the issue to the AA correspondent.

Emphasizing that one of the most important events in the formation of Japan and the Japanese perception in Türkiye was the Ertuğrul Frigate, Dündar said, "The Ertuğrul disaster and the subsequent rescue activities can be considered as the most important turning point in the formation of curiosity and sympathy about Japan." he said.

Dündar underlined that rather than making a concrete contribution to the diplomatic relations between the two countries, reminders about Ertuğrul were used as a "warm introduction" in almost every diplomatic meeting between the two sides.

Memories of the incident are kept alive in Kushimoto

Regarding the issue of transferring this historical closeness between the two countries to the younger generations, Dündar evaluated that it is not possible to say that young people have knowledge about this tragic accident.

Dündar made the following statements regarding keeping memories of the incident fresh:

"Awareness about the disaster is high, if not throughout Japan, at least regionally, as there are monuments related to Ertuğrul in Kushimoto, where the accident took place, and the memories of the incident are still kept alive in the social memory of this small town, with small-scale ceremonies held every year, with the visit of a warship of the Turkish Navy every five years, and the participation of the Japanese princess."