AKP Phnom Penh, February 10, 2026 --

The Council for the Development of Cambodia (CDC) and the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA) have discussed progress towards the development of a Japanese green special economic zone in Cambodia (C-J GSEZ).

The discussion took place at the CDC headquarters in Phnom Penh on the afternoon of Feb. 9 when H.E. Sun Chanthol, Deputy Prime Minister and First Vice President of the CDC, received a courtesy call from a delegation of the Business Research Institute for Cambodia (BRIC) and ERIA.

The delegation was led by Mr. Tetsuya Watanabe, President of ERIA, and included Mr. Tsutomu Tamura, Corporate Officer of Nippon Koei Co., Ltd.

The meeting was convened to update the Cambodian side on the progress of an ongoing study and to express appreciation for the CDC’s guidance since the early stages of the initiative. 

This support, the delegation noted, had enabled the research team to compile a guidebook on the C-J GSEZ development.

The guidebook has now been submitted to the leadership of the Royal Government of Cambodia for consideration.

During the meeting, the delegation also sought further guidance from the Deputy Prime Minister to help ensure effective implementation as the project moves into its practical phase. Discussions additionally covered several key factors aimed at strengthening Cambodia’s attractiveness to Japanese investors, particularly in the context of sustainable and environmentally friendly investment.

The delegation expressed its deep appreciation to H.E. Sun Chanthol for taking time from his busy schedule to provide valuable guidance and inputs in support of the institute’s work.

By Sum Kosal