Japan's Attempt at Coronation of an Ottoman Prince in Central Asia
Japan's Failed Attempt to Establish a Puppet State in East Turkestan
In the early 1930s, Japan sought to establish a puppet state in East Turkestan, the Xinjiang region, with Prince Abdul Kerim Efendi as its head of state. This plan, however, was foiled by an unusual alliance between Turkey and the Soviet Union, both of whom had strategic interests in the region and opposed Japanese influence.
Japan, guided by the ideology of "Greater Asianism," aimed to unite Asian peoples under Japanese leadership and expel Western influence. To achieve this, they pursued a strategy of territorial expansion, including in Xinjiang. They believed that Muslim Turkic populations in Central Asia could be potential allies in reshaping the continent's future.
Prince Abdul Kerim Efendi, grandson of Ottoman Sultan Abdulhamid II, arrived in Tokyo on May 21, 1933, amidst diplomatic tension due to speculation about his political motives. Japanese ultra-nationalist societies like Kokuryukai and Genyousha viewed him as a potential leader who could unite Turkic Muslims under a state loyal to Japan. Intelligence from multiple sources suggested that his visit was part of a plan to become the ruler of a future East Turkestan state.
However, the Japanese government's ambitions for a Central Asian client state were shelved as their strategic focus shifted toward Southeast Asia and the Pacific. The Soviet Union, which bordered Xinjiang to the north, and Turkey, sharing ethnic and cultural ties to the Turkic peoples of Xinjiang, cooperated to resist Japan's plan.
The Soviets sustained military and political influence in Xinjiang, supporting local regimes aligned with Moscow, while Turkey used diplomatic channels and cultural influence among Turkic peoples to undermine Japanese ambitions. This alliance was rare given the geopolitical tensions of the era but was driven by mutual interest in preventing Japanese expansion into Central Asia and protecting the Turkic populations.
Prince Abdul Kerim Efendi denied having any political motives for his visit to Japan, stating that he came to see Japan and visit the tomb of Emperor Meiji and Turkish martyrs. Despite this, a Turkish man named S.M. Osman Bey, a former Soviet intelligence officer, arrived in Japan in August 1933 and threatened to expose Prince Abdul Kerim's alleged fraud unless repaid. This incident may have contributed to the prince's departure from Japan for the United States, where he died by suicide in a hotel room.
This episode illustrates the complex dynamics in Central Asia during the pre-WWII era, where imperial ambitions, ethnic nationalism, and Soviet-Turkish cooperation intersected to shape the fate of Xinjiang's political status. The alliance between Turkey and the Soviet Union was atypical given their ideological differences but united by a shared interest in blocking Japanese imperialism in the region.
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Despite Japan's efforts, their plan to establish a puppet state in East Turkestan under Prince Abdul Kerim Efendi was thwarted by an unexpected coalition between Turkey and Russia.
Turkey, a fellow Turkic-speaking nation, and Russia, a neighboring state to Xinjiang, cooperated to resist Japan's infiltration into Central Asia, fearing potential Japanese influence over Turkic populations.
The Turkish government used diplomatic channels and cultural influence to undermine Japan's ambitions, while the Soviet Union maintained military and political influence in the region, backing local regimes.
The cooperation between Turkey and Russia in the face of Japan's expansionist policies in Central Asia was an unusual alliance, driven by mutual interest in protecting their strategic as well as cultural interests in the region.
