AKP Phnom Penh, July 03, 2026 -- National Assembly President Samdech Maha Rathsapheathika Thipadei Khuon Sudary reaffirmed the strong “Heart-to-Heart Relations” between Cambodia and Japan during a farewell meeting with Japanese Ambassador H.E. Ueno Atsushi, who concluded his diplomatic mission in Cambodia.

Samdech praised Ambassador Ueno’s contributions to deepening the Cambodia-Japan Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, particularly in political dialogue, economic cooperation, and people-to-people exchanges. She expressed gratitude to Japan for its longstanding support over the past three decades, especially in Cambodia’s peacebuilding, reconstruction, and socio-economic development.

She recalled Japan’s role in Cambodia’s peace process and honoured the sacrifice of two Japanese peacekeepers who lost their lives during the UNTAC mission in 1993. She also appreciated Japan’s concern over the recent Cambodia-Thailand border situation and its humanitarian support for displaced Cambodian civilians.

Reaffirming Cambodia’s commitment to peaceful dispute resolution in line with international law, Samdech Khuon Sudary welcomed Japan’s Free and Open Indo-Pacific initiative, noting its complementarity with Cambodia’s Pentagonal Strategy – Phase 1.

She highlighted growing economic ties, with bilateral trade exceeding US$2.5 billion in 2025 and Japanese investments reaching about US$2.9 billion since 1994. People-to-people exchanges have also expanded, including around 69,000 Cambodian skilled workers in Japan and longstanding Japanese scholarship programmes that have helped develop human resources and strengthen governance in Cambodia.

The Cambodian National Assembly President further underscored the importance of parliamentary cooperation and expressed hope for greater collaboration in digital transformation, including support for the National Assembly’s e-Parliament initiative and capacity building for parliamentary officials.

Ambassador Ueno expressed appreciation for Cambodia’s hospitality and noted that his tenure coincided with the elevation of bilateral ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2023, which has boosted cooperation across multiple sectors. He reaffirmed Japan’s support for Cambodia’s peaceful approach to dispute resolution and voiced confidence that future high-level exchanges would further strengthen parliamentary relations.

The meeting concluded with Samdech Khuon Sudary wishing Ambassador Ueno success in his new role as Japan’s Ambassador to Indonesia and expressing confidence that the 73-year diplomatic relationship between the two countries would continue to flourish for the mutual benefit of both peoples.

By C. Nika