Japan's Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Miyazaki Masao said that Japan will strengthen its friendship and cooperation with Cambodia, especially in agriculture infrastructure and irrigation systems which will help to upgrade the livelihoods of the Cambodian people.

Masao was making a trip with Kandal provincial officials to inspect the Stung Toch Rehabilitation Project and the construction of the Prampi Makara watergate as well as a landfill in Kandal province’s Kandal Stung district on July 20.

Kandal's provincial administration said on July 21 that deputy provincial governor Taing Meng Lean, undersecretary of state at the Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology Pich Veasna and officials from other relevant administrations had accompanied the visit.

Citing Miyasaki, the provincial administration said that the rehabilitation project of Stung Toch and Prampi Makara watergate aimed to serve the agriculture sector through flood prevention. The project will begin soon and be implemented by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

Taing Meng Lean thanked the government of Japan and JICA for their thorough study on flood prevention and the improvement of irrigation and drainage systems in Kandal province.

The provincial administration said that the landfill project is currently under study by a working group from the World Bank, which is identifying the most appropriate place among five proposed sites. The study focuses on legal and technical aspects based on the principles agreed to by the government and the World Bank.