Horinouchi Hidehisa ambassador of Japan speak in a meeting. Hong Menea
Before departing Cambodia this week, Hidehisa Horinouchi, the outgoing Japanese ambassador to Cambodia sent a message to the people saying that the Kingdom had maintained an average annual economic growth of seven per cent and that bilateral relations between the two countries had made great strides forward.
On the Facebook page of the Japanese embassy in Cambodia on Friday, Horinouchi said that bilateral trade, direct investment, and the organisation of exchange visits had resulted in considerable growth.
“I am lucky to attend the Japanese-Cambodian summit between His Excellency Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Samdech Techo Prime Minister Hun Sen on three occasions for three years,” he said.
He said Japan will always contribute to the promotion of democracy in Cambodia and also provide assistance for electoral reforms. It had also invited Cambodian youths interested in politics to learn about experiences in Japan, Horinouchi said.
Having headed the Japanese mission in Cambodia since 2016, he said: “Phnom Penh will have in the next few years, new airports and high-rise buildings sprouting up as well as new public transportation systems.”
Government spokesman Phay Siphan told The Post on Sunday that Horinouchi had furthered diplomatic relations with Cambodia through a sense of professionalism, good relations and cooperation, and an expression of strong friendship that served the interests of the two countries.
“He has helped coordinate culture and youth programmes and he has built an intimate relationship with Cambodians. This relationship is encouraging in light of the closeness and cooperation of top Cambodian and Japanese leaders,” he said.
Under all circumstances, Japan had shown its good friendship and neighbourliness with Cambodia, he added.
At the meeting with the ambassador on August 13, Prime Minister Hun Sen said last year Cambodia’s exports to Japan were worth some $1.6 billion. For the five months of this year, the Cambodian trade volume of exports to Japan had increased to $1.7 billion.
“This is a huge success during the mission of His Excellency the ambassador in strengthening relations and fostering trade, investment and tourism, which are the basis of relations between the two countries,” he stressed.
Kin Phea, the director of the Royal Academy of Cambodia's International Relations Institute, told The Post on Sunday that Cambodia-Japan relations were better thanks to the personal attitude of the outgoing ambassador and Japan’s foreign policy.
The high and low-level Cambodia leadership had respected Japan adhering to the principles of “non-interference in Cambodian internal affairs”. Japan’s assistance to Cambodia was purely technical and without imposing any conditions to meet its demands and wants.
“If we look at the trade volume and the education sector alike, or the historical landscapes, the relationship of the two countries is generally good.
“Cambodians generally place a high value on our diplomatic ties with Japan, and it has got even better under the leadership of the outgoing ambassador,” he further said.
