Prime Minister Ishiba’s Remarks at the Joint Press Occasion with Prime Minister Hun Manet of Cambodia

It is a great honor and pleasure to extend my heartfelt welcome to His Excellency Prime Minister Hun Manet, Madam Hun Manet, and the distinguished members of his delegation on the occasion of their visit to Japan.

Japan and Cambodia have fostered a relationship of trust through cooperation in Cambodia’s peacebuilding, reconstruction, and development. It is precisely because of this longstanding partnership and mutual trust that we are now able to work together on initiatives such as global demining efforts, including efforts in Ukraine.

Today, I held a candid exchange of views with Prime Minister Hun Manet, and we agreed to strengthen our collaboration with an eye toward realizing a Free and Open Indo-Pacific based on the rule of law, and to uphold and reinforce the multilateral free trade system.

In the field of security, Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force vessels recently made a port call at Ream Naval Base. In recent years, cooperation between our ground forces has also been advancing. Looking ahead, we will further strengthen our cooperation, with a view to providing Official Security Assistance (OSA).

In the economic field, taking into account Cambodia’s policy of diversifying its economic partners, we have compiled the “Economic Co-creation Package,” under which our two countries will work together to strengthen the framework for attracting and supporting Japanese investment, as well as improving the overall investment environment, in Cambodia.

Japan has long been engaged in developing Cambodia's infrastructure, including ports, roads, and bridges. Looking ahead, we aim to create new economic and social value by further harnessing the vitality of the private sectors of both Japan and Cambodia.

We will further advance our cooperation in areas such as the development of core telecommunications infrastructure, including for digitalization and 5G, as well as clean energy under the Asia Zero Emission Community (AZEC).

Japan will continue to support Cambodia’s democratic development through a variety of initiatives.

Japan and Cambodia agreed to strengthen cooperation in addressing regional cross-border challenges, such as measures against online fraud, as well as in efforts to maintain global peace, stability, and security, including initiatives such as demining.

We also reaffirmed that we will work closely together in addressing the matter of North Korea, including the abduction issue, as well as the situations in the East China Sea, the South China Sea, and Myanmar, among others.

We will further strengthen the “Comprehensive Strategic Partnership” between Japan and Cambodia and advance our wide-ranging cooperation even more. Som Orkun. (Thank you.)