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[Provisional Translation]

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe hosted a summit meeting and other events with Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia, at Akasaka Palace State Guest House.

The two leaders attended a salute and guard of honor ceremony, followed by a summit meeting. Thereafter, the leaders held a signing ceremony and a joint press announcement.

Finally, the Prime Minister hosted a banquet, and said in his address,

“I would like to again offer my heartfelt welcome to Prime Minister Hun Sen on his visit to Japan. Prime Minister Hun Sen has long been a close friend of Japan, and this is in fact his 21st visit to our country. The Prime Minister celebrated his birthday just two days ago, and I hope you will all join me in congratulating him.

The relationship between our two countries goes back to the beginning of the 17th century, when kabocha squashes arrived in Japan from Cambodia. In recent years, peace in Cambodia represents the strong bond between our two countries. Incidentally, this very State Guest House was the venue of the ‘Tokyo Meeting on Cambodia,’ which was also attended by Prime Minister Hun Sen in June 1990. Under the excellent leadership of Prime Minister Hun Sen over the 27 years since the Tokyo Meeting, Cambodia has achieved remarkable peace, reconstruction, and development. Cambodia is now a strategic partner for Japan, having dispatched over 4,000 personnel in total for peacekeeping operations (PKO) in eight countries, including Sudan, the Central African Republic, South Sudan, and Mali.

In the area of people-to-people exchanges, the number of people making trips between our two countries has increased to the scale of 200,000 people per year. A direct flight service between Japan and Cambodia was launched in last September, and Japan will open a consular office in Siem Reap in January of next year. I expect that these developments will further revitalize our people-to-people exchanges.

Angkor Wat is very popular among Japanese people. I wish to extend my congratulations to you on the inscription of Sambor Prei Kuk on the World Heritage List this year. I believe even more Japanese people will be visiting Cambodia which is home to numerous attractive cultural heritages.

We have invited to today’s banquet leaders from all circles who have supported the relationship between Cambodia and Japan that have deepened cooperation in a range of areas, including politics, security, economy, culture, education, sports, and medicine. Thanks to all of your efforts, the friendly relationship between our two countries is what it is today. I would like to take this opportunity to again express my appreciation and ask for your continued cooperation.

As I introduced moments ago, Cambodia was the first country to which Japan sent PKO units. A young girl at that time saw how hard the Self-Defense Forces (SDF) were working for Cambodia’s nation building and was inspired to also dedicate herself to achieving world peace in the future. She went on to assume the role of maintaining security as a member of the PKO unit in South Sudan and engaged in work to protect the activities of the SDF.

Japan’s will to plant the seeds of peace is now shared by Cambodia. I hope that Japan and Cambodia will continue to cooperate and exert every effort for regional peace and stability.

In closing, I would like to raise a toast for the continued success of Prime Minister Hun Sen as well as everyone else in attendance today.”