JAPAN: The Cambodian Embassy in Japan warned Cambodian trainees and skilled workers in Japan to avoid the lure of brokers who offer illegal work that leads to the loss of employment benefits. It encouraged those working abroad to respect the law, work hard and develop professional skills.

On August 30, the embassy responded to reports from Japanese police and social media that Cambodians had been involved in visa theft, driving without a license, driving under the influence and abandoning work contracts after being offered illegal work from brokers.

The embassy encouraged Cambodians in Japan to think carefully before engaging in illegal acts that harm their personal interests and national honor and lead to arrests, detentions, and loss of employment opportunities.

It said that the embassy will always provide support services to their citizens in Japan without discrimination; however it does not condone illegal activity. It also responded to rumors that the embassy was not helping Cambodian workers in Japan, saying that they were a main priority whose problems the embassy was working hard to solve effectively.

On August 18, the Cambodia Daily, a news source that is banned in Cambodia, reported that Cambodian workers in Japan were facing an unemployment crisis and turning to crime to survive. The embassy firmly rejected those claims.