CHP slams AKP's comparison of Turkey's economy to Japan

CHP deputy Ali Mahir Başarır has slammed AKP Group Deputy Chair Cahit Özkan's attempt to defend Turkey’s economic performance by comparing it to that of Japan’s, saying, "If you take Japan as an example, most of your ministers would have to commit suicide.”

Monday November 22 2021 10:15 am

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Main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) deputy Ali Mahir Başarır has slammed a ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) official for attempting to defend Turkey’s economic performance by comparing it to that of Japan’s.

“If you take Japan as an example, most of your ministers would have to commit suicide,” Başarır said in response to AKP Group Deputy Chair Cahit Özkan’s earlier remarks.

Özkan on Nov. 17 downplayed the lira's record loss of value and claimed that the economy improved under the AKP.

"Is Japan evaluating its economy based on the value of the dollar? Do they say, 'Our economy is bad' when they're evaluating?" Özkan asked, as he commented on the opposition's call for urgent early elections based on the lira's downfall.

"The opposition uses the lira as an excuse when making a call for snap polls," he said.

In response, Başarır gave examples of minister suicides from Japan.

“In Japan, 1 dollar is equal to 114 yen. This has been the case for 22 years. Yet Japan’s per capita income is 44,000 dollars. In Turkey, it’s 8,000 dollars," Başarır said on Nov. 19.

"Japan’s Agriculture Minister Toshikatsu Matsuoka committed suicide over corruption allegations. A bureaucrat of Japan’s Prime Ministry also committed suicide because he covered up the corruption allegations surrounding the prime minister. I’m not saying you should commit suicide, but if you take Japan as an example, most of your ministers would have to commit suicide.”