The Japanese government has awarded Necmeddin Bilal Erdoğan, president of the World Ethnosports Confederation, the "Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette."

The ceremony, organized by the Japanese Embassy in Ankara on Saturday, was attended by Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç, Bilal Erdoğan and his family, Deputy Foreign Minister Burhanettin Duran, Special Advisor to the Japanese Prime Minister Iijima Isao, Japanese Ambassador to Türkiye Katsumata Takahiko, former Turkish ambassadors to Tokyo, and numerous guests.

In his speech, Erdoğan greeted the audience in Japanese and expressed his gratitude to the Japanese government and embassy for the honor.

He highlighted the long-standing relationship between Türkiye and Japan, noting that both nations have rich histories and deeply rooted traditions.

Erdoğan emphasized the importance of resisting cultural homogenization and maintaining unique cultural identities in the face of globalization. "The world needs to stand against this cultural degradation and forced uniformity," he said.

"Every nation should be able to preserve and confidently present its own culture. I believe Türkiye and Japan are champions of this philosophy."

Regarding the ongoing conflicts, Erdoğan pointed out that global institutions have failed to prevent the crises in Gaza, suggesting that nations with profound historical and cultural backgrounds should collaborate on alternative paradigms.

"The world shouldn't be forced into the potential chaos brought about by Western civilization," he added.

Erdoğan also mentioned his efforts in promoting Japanese culture in Türkiye, including the establishment of a Japanese program at a middle school, which annually sends 30 students to Tokyo for a month-long Japanese language course.

He expressed his desire to create sister school partnerships and highlighted his support for the Turkish-Japanese University since its inception.

'Deeply respected'

In his remarks, Ambassador Katsumata expressed his pleasure at presenting the award to Erdoğan during the 100th anniversary of Japan-Türkiye diplomatic relations.

"I extend my heartfelt congratulations to Bilal Erdoğan on behalf of the Japanese government for being honored with the 'Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette' in the Spring 2024 Conferment," said Katsumata.

Katsumata praised Erdoğan's efforts in preserving traditional sports and raising awareness about them globally, specifically noting his contributions to promoting Yabusame, a traditional Japanese equestrian archery performance.

He recalled the 2019 International Ethnosports Forum in Antalya, hosted by the World Ethnosports Confederation, which featured performances by the Japan Equestrian Archery Association and helped enhance Yabusame's global recognition.

Katsumata also noted Erdoğan's visit to Japan in 2019, where he participated in the Autumn Grand Festival at Meiji Jingu.

"Through his participation in Yabusame, Erdoğan has significantly contributed to raising international awareness of Japanese culture," said Katsumata. "His dedication and leadership in promoting Japanese culture outside Japan are deeply respected."

In his closing remarks, Special Advisor Iijima celebrated the centennial of Japan-Türkiye relations and expressed his joy in presenting the award to Erdoğan during such a special year.

After the speeches, Ambassador Katsumata formally presented the "Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette" to Bilal Erdoğan.