20.05.2025 14:51
One of the important representatives of the friendship between Turkey and Japan, Japanese archaeologist Sachihiro Omura, passed away in Kırşehir. Omura, who had been leading the Kaman Kalehöyük excavations since 1985, was commemorated with condolence messages from Emine Erdoğan, the wife of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and Ömer Çelik, the spokesperson for the AK Party, regarding his passing.
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The Japanese archaeologist Sachihiro Omura, one of the important representatives of the friendship between Turkey and Japan in the field of archaeology, passed away in Kırşehir. Living in Turkey since 1972 and serving as the head of excavations at Kalehöyük since 1985, archaeologist Omura bid farewell to life at Kaman State Hospital due to his illness. Leading the excavations at Kaman Kalehöyük since 1985, Omura was born in Japan in 1948 according to some sources, while others state he was born in 1949. Sachihiro Omura dedicated most of his life to uncovering the ancient history of Anatolia, having first come to Turkey as a student in 1972.
IT WAS TURGUT ÖZAL WHO ENABLED HIS ARRIVAL IN TURKEY
The Japanese archaeologist recounted his adventure of coming to Turkey in an interview with the following words: "When I was 19, I saw a news article in Japan's largest newspaper, Asahi, that a minister from Turkey would be coming. I was very curious about it. I went to the embassy. However, the doorman looked at my outfit and did not let me in. Just as I was leaving, someone came running after me. 'If you really want to, let me tell you a hotel to go to,' he said. There, the doorman also did not let me in, but he said, 'Write your phone number on a piece of paper, let's try our luck.' The next day, they called me. It was Turgut Özal on the line. 'You wrote that you want to come to Turkey. Come to the airport. I will be returning tomorrow,' he said. The flight was at 5, and since I had never flown before, I didn't know how passport and customs procedures would work. I arrived at the airport exactly at 5. Everyone had left. I was very sad. The official there looked at me and said, 'Are you Omura?' I replied, 'Oh my God, how do you know me?' He said, 'Mr. Turgut Özal has been waiting for you, why didn't you come?' Then they contacted me, and I came to Turkey.
HE MADE GREAT CONTRIBUTIONS IN TURKEY
Especially interested in the Hittite period, Omura worked in Elazığ from 1973 to 1976 and contributed to the uncovering of the remains of 7 civilizations in Kaman, Kırşehir, where he arrived in 1985. Throughout his life, Omura contributed to archaeology and cultural diplomacy, and the Japanese Institute of Anatolian Archaeology (JIAA), which he founded and presided over, was established in 1998. The institute, located in the village of Çağırkan, became the center of archaeological research in the region. The Kaman-Kalehöyük Archaeology Museum and the Japanese Garden Project became symbols of cultural cooperation between Turkey and Japan.
In a statement to AA reporters in 2015, Omura mentioned that he spent 11 months of the year in Kırşehir and 1 month in Japan. He emphasized that they started excavations in 1985 by conducting surface surveys in the Kalehöyük area, where Italians and Americans had previously worked for a while, stating that they identified approximately 5,500 years of cultural heritage in the region, saying: "The history of the world is here. The Hittites are the history of the world. Rome, Byzantium, Seljuks, and Ottomans are the history of the world; they have greatly influenced the world. The remnants of those civilizations contain world history. Working on the materials that emerge after excavation here means reading world history. World history will be revealed here in a sense. In my opinion, Anatolia is that important. For example, I had also excavated in Egypt, but there is only one culture there, unlike Anatolia and Greece. Italy is not that diverse. There is the Roman Empire, but there is nothing before that. However, there was something before the Hittites in Anatolia. There are layers upon layers of culture.
HE WAS AWARDED THE STATE SUPERIOR SERVICE MEDAL
Omura, who also helped develop mutual respect and cooperation between Japan and Turkey, was awarded the State Superior Service Medal in Turkey in 2008 and Japan's Order of the Rising Sun for his extraordinary contributions. In January of this year, a book titled "It All Began with Stratigraphy and Chronology" was published in honor of Dr. Omura's 77th birthday. The work detailed the contributions of the Japanese archaeologist to Central Anatolian archaeology and his scientific studies. Sachihiro Omura lived with his wife and Yassıhöyük Excavation Head Dr. Masako Omura in the institute's residence.
CONDOLENCE MESSAGE FROM EMINE ERDOĞAN
Emine Erdoğan, the wife of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, published a condolence message for Japanese archaeologist Dr. Sachihiro Omura, who passed away in Kırşehir, stating, "I believe that Dr. Omura's name will continue to live not only in the scientific world but also in every heart that values this land."
CONNECTED THE HEARTS OF THE TURKISH AND JAPANESE PEOPLES
Expressing deep sorrow over Dr. Sachihiro Omura's passing, Erdoğan noted: "The cultural heritage that blossomed in Kaman was shaped by his efforts. His love for the Turkish nation, humility, and dedication to science connected the hearts of the Turkish and Japanese peoples. I believe that Dr. Omura's name will continue to live not only in the scientific world but also in every heart that values this land. I extend my condolences to his precious wife Masako Omura, his family, and all his loved ones."
CONDOLENCE MESSAGE FROM ÖMER ÇELİK
Ömer Çelik, Deputy Chairman of the AK Party and Party Spokesperson, also published a condolence message regarding the passing of Japanese archaeologist Dr. Sachihiro Omura, who dedicated many years to the Kaman-Kalehöyük excavations in Turkey. In a post on his social media account, Çelik stated that Dr. Omura made significant contributions to Anatolian archaeology, using the following expressions: "We are deeply saddened by the passing of Dr. Sachihiro Omura, who dedicated his life to the Kaman-Kalehöyük excavations. He treated Anatolian archaeology with the care of a jewel and devoted his life to it. He was a true scientist and a person with genuine human values."
In his statement, Çelik emphasized not only Omura's scientific work but also his humanitarian stance, conveying his condolences with the words, "We extend our condolences to his family and the Japanese people."
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