PRIME Minister Hun Sen has met top businessmen from Japan to encourage further private sector investment in the Kingdom.

The premier met the business delegation late on Tuesday night as part of the group’s visit to Cambodia in search of investment and trade-expansion opportunities, Eang Sophalleth, personal assistant to Hun Sen, said yesterday.

About 30 of the delegation went on to meet with Commerce Minister Cham Prasidh yesterday, an official said.

The party was led by Kenjiro Fukubayashi of Japanese business association Nippon Keidanren, and comprised of many large companies, Eang Sophalleth said.

“Hun Sen requested the Japanese delegation to push more Japanese investment in Cambodia, as the country is peaceful and stable,” Eang Sophalleth told reporters gathered at the Council of Ministers following the high-level meeting.

Hun Sen said although Japanese private investment in Cambodia was not high, there was significant work being done, highlighting tie-ups between Mitsubishi Moeco and Marubeni with United States oil giant Chevron. Two-way trade between Japan and Cambodia hit US$255 million in 2009.