Japan bridging friendship through infrastructure funding

In its bid to turn out to be a developed nation, Cambodia ought to look to the instance of Japan which reworked itself into the world’s third largest economic system, the pinnacle of the federal government’s high assume tank stated.

The recommendation was made by Royal Academy of Cambodia (RAC) President Sok Contact whereas attending the ‘Kizuna Roundtable Speak of the seventieth Anniversary of Friendship between Japan and Cambodia’ held at Khemarak Vitu Convention Corridor of the Royal Academy of Cambodia (RAC) on Friday.

In an interview exterior the venue, Contact described the 70 years of bilateral relations between Cambodia and Japan as a “candy and bitter relationship”.

He cited the Japanese occupation of Cambodia throughout World Battle II and the Japanese contributions to the event of the nation after a long time of civil warfare.

“Cambodia has to be taught at the least 5 issues from Japan. First, Japan maintains its financial energy, and Japan’s economic system is powerful. Second, Japanese folks have modified their perspective from being brutal (throughout warfare instances) to so type,” he stated.

“Thirdly, Japan has reworked from a predominantly agricultural to a closely industrialised society. Fourth, Japan has maintained its traditions and civilisation nicely, and fifth, this nation is happy with its merchandise.”

Contact recalled that regardless of Cambodia having been occupied by Japan throughout World Battle II, the late King Father Norodom Sihanouk gave up Cambodia’s proper to demand reparations from it. This contributed to bringing the 2 nations nearer after the warfare.

Japan additionally commenced diplomatic relations with Cambodia seven months earlier than the Kingdom obtained full independence from France in 1953.

Contact famous three vital infrastructures funded by the Japanese authorities as a token of friendship.

These had been the Chroy Changva Bridge throughout the Tonle Sap River in Phnom Penh, initially inbuilt 1963 and repaired in 1994 after being closely broken through the civil warfare; Kizuna Bridge throughout the Mekong River in Kampong Cham province, which was opened in 2001 and was the primary bridge to be constructed over the Mekong river within the nation; and the Tsubasa Bridge, often known as the Neak Loeung Bridge, which hyperlinks Kandal province to Prey Veng province throughout the Mekong River.

The bridge opened to visitors in April 2015 and have become the longest bridge within the nation.

“Immediately, the Cambodian folks have a powerful relationship with the Japanese and confidence in the whole lot that Japan has in Cambodia,” he stated.

Seventy years after the diplomatic ties, the 2 nations have was a “Complete Strategic Partnership”.

On the occasion, Som Visal, an Undersecretary of State of the Ministry of International Affairs and Worldwide Cooperation, stated the 2 nations’ friendship has stood the take a look at of time and blossomed right into a partnership primarily based on mutual respect, cooperation and shared aspiration.

“The historical past of relations between Cambodia and Japan is a testomony to the energy of the diplomatic ties and the ability of collaboration,” he stated.

After the institution of diplomatic relations, the late King Father Sihanouk paid a go to to Japan in 1965, which led to the muse for improved relations between the 2 nations.

Visal additionally highlighted the change of visits between former Prime Minister Hun Sen, late former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and present Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.

“Likewise, the go to of Cambodian leaders to Japan, resembling His Majesty, King Norodom Sihamoni and Samdech Techo former Prime Minister Hun Sen had strengthened the bond of friendship between our two folks,” he added.

King Norodom Sihamoni made a state go to to Japan in 2010 whereas then Japan’s Crown Prince Naruhito visited Cambodia in 2012.

As well as, Prime Minister Hun Manet can pay an official go to to Tokyo subsequent month to attend the ASEAN-Japan Commemorative Summit and to “additional develop” the shut Cambodia-Japan relationship.

Mr Hun Manet first met with Kishida, who was in Indonesia to attend the ASEAN-related Summit Conferences, in Jakarta on September 7.

Visal additionally famous the latest cellphone dialog between Minister of International Affairs and Worldwide Cooperation Sok Chenda Sophea and his Japanese counterpart Yoko Kamikawa.

Within the dialog, Chenda Sophea expressed his gratitude for Japan’s nice contribution since 1992 to the event of Cambodia and said that Cambodia by no means forgets Japan’s help to Cambodia’s peace, restoration, and financial improvement.

For her half, Kamikawa expressed her need to work with Chenda Sophea to strengthen the “Complete Strategic Partnership” and to keep up and strengthen a free and open worldwide order primarily based on the rule of regulation.

The 2 ministers additionally confirmed they might work collectively in the direction of strengthening the bilateral relationship.

Visal stated Japan’s funding tasks in Cambodia have additionally flourished, totalling almost $3 billion.

Throughout the roundtable talks, Japanese ambassador to Cambodia Atsushi Ueno recalled that the relations between the 2 nations developed very seamlessly within the Nineteen Fifties, and Sixties however due to the Cambodian battle, the bilateral relations had been caught within the late Seventies and Nineteen Eighties.

Japan actively took half within the peace course of in Cambodia beginning within the late Nineteen Eighties and early Nineteen Nineties.

He additionally talked about the shut relations between the Cambodian and the Japanese royal households, which contributed to “superb relations” between the 2 nations.

Ambassador Ueno famous that for financial relations and improvement cooperation, Japanese corporations in Cambodia have elevated from 50 in 2010 to 252 final yr, changing into the fifth largest investor. Japan is the second largest donor to the Kingdom with a particular concentrate on infrastructure, surroundings and human useful resource improvement.

For defence and safety cooperation, Ambassador Ueno famous the change of high-level delegations between the 2 armies.

In 2022, then Lieutenant Basic Hun Manet, Royal Cambodian Military Commander, visited Japan and Basic Yamazaki Koji, Joint Chief of Employees of the Japanese Self-Defence Forces, visited Cambodia.

This yr, Basic Yoshida Yoshihide, Chief of the Floor Employees, visited Cambodia and signed an MOU with then Lt Gen Hun Manet on cooperation between the 2 armies. Japan Maritime Self-Protection Power ships additionally visited Sihanoukville Port twice in 2022 and twice this yr.

For Cultural Cooperation, Japan has contributed to the preservation and restoration of Cambodia’s world-class archaeological websites – Angkor Wat and Bayon Temple, for a few years.

In 1993, the Worldwide Coordination Committee (ICC), which Japan and France co-chaired, was established for the preservation of the Angkor archaeological web site.

Japan has considerably contributed to the information switch to Cambodian consultants and the strengthening of their capabilities.

As well as, restoration work on the Western Causeway of Angkor Wat was accomplished in October, the Ambassador famous.

“Since our institution of bilateral relations, I believe bilateral relations have been developed very seamlessly and plenty of Cambodian folks acknowledge the Japanese contributions to the peace course of and improvement of Cambodia,” he instructed Khmer Occasions in an interview.