Kumamoto: The Prime Minister of Cambodia Hun Sen requested the Prime Minister of Japan Fumio Kishida to increase the level of partnership between Japan and Cambodia to the level of "comprehensive strategic partnership" to increase cooperation more depth.

During a meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at the 4th Asia-Pacific Water Summit in Kumamoto, Japan on the afternoon of April 23, 2022, PM Hun Sen thanked Japan for Supporting Cambodia in the past until now and recalled that Cambodia and Japan have relations for 67 years. He added that relations with Japan have helped making Cambodia achieve development in most areas, both economic and development.

He also added that Cambodia always welcomes Japanese Self-Defense Forces ships to dock at Sihanoukville port, as well as thanks to the construction and development of Sihanoukville deep-sea port also the Japanese cooperation with Cambodia in the international framework, especially within the United Nations.

He urged Japan to further enhance bilateral relations, especially in the field of defense, and increase the level of bilateral relations from the current "strategic partner" to the "comprehensive strategic partner" in the future too.

"The Prime Minister also proposed to increase the level of bilateral relations from a strategic partner to a comprehensive strategic partner in the near future," Kao Kim Hourn, Minister Delegate Attached to the Prime Minister, told reporters.

The Prime Minister of Japan, Fumio Kishida, accepted Cambodia prime minister proposal to raise the level of this partnership and announced his support for working with Cambodia to resolve regional and global issues together.

During the meeting, Mr. Fumio Kishida also announced to promote cooperation with Cambodia in the field of water and security cooperation, especially in the field of defense and human resource training in the field of peacekeeping.

In 2013, Cambodia and Japan upgraded their partnership to a "strategic partnership", which resulted in remarkable results in cooperation between the two countries in all areas, including aviation, human resource development, integration, and cleaning mine and urban development. Mr. Kishida Fumio had announced that he would increase the level of strategic partnership with Cambodia during his visit to Cambodia on March 20, 2022.