AKP Phnom Penh June 09, 2026 -- The Council for the Development of Cambodia (CDC) and the Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO) have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening economic cooperation, with a focus on improving the investment climate, expanding business opportunities and attracting more Japanese companies to the Kingdom.

The discussions took place during a high-level meeting in Tokyo on June 9 between Deputy Prime Minister H.E. Sun Chanthol, First Vice Chairman of CDC, and Mr. Norihiko Ishiguro, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of JETRO.

The meeting marked the opening day of Cambodia’s investment promotion mission to Japan and was organised by JETRO’s Phnom Penh office.

According to the CDC, the meeting took place in a cordial atmosphere, reflecting the traditional friendly relations and comprehensive strategic partnership between Cambodia and Japan.

In the meeting, both sides exchanged views and held in-depth discussions on several key aspects, such as the establishment of a Business Co-Creation Team (BCT) focused on improving the investment climate, exploring new business opportunities, and attracting major corporations as well as Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) from Japan to invest in Cambodia.

During the meeting, the Deputy Prime Minister also urged the Japanese side to resume direct flights between Japan and Cambodia to support and boost investment cooperation between the two nations.

In this spirit, both sides strongly agreed on the commitment to strengthen joint activities more actively and sharply, with a particular focus on paying high attention to coordinating and resolving any challenges or concerns raised by Japanese investors, based on the recommendations and strategic solution packages provided by the Royal Government of Cambodia.

This joint commitment to problem-solving aims to ensure warm, transparent, and highly efficient investment support services, which serve as a vital key to retaining existing investors and attracting new ones from Japan.

According to data from the General Department of Customs and Excise, bilateral trade reached US$753.46 million in the first quarter of 2026, up 14.8 percent from US$656.45 million during the same period last year.

Cambodia exported US$487.41 million worth of goods to Japan, a rise of 13.2 percent, while imports from Japan increased by 17.8 percent to US$266.06 million.

By Sum Kosal