Gul hails visit to Japan as turning point for Turkey

President Abdullah Gul yesterday returned to Turkey after completing a four-day visit to Japan. Speaking to reporters, Gul said that his talks in Japan had been friendly, reflecting the traditional good relations between the two countries. Stating that both sides had worked on the ways to boost bilateral cooperation, Gul called the visit a turning point for Turkey's policy of reaching out towards the eastern Asia and Pacific region. Saying that Japan and other Far Eastern countries see Turkey as an influential and important country in its region, the president reiterated that Turkey is also an important trade partner for them due to its close relations with the Europe, the Middle East, and the Balkans.