TOKYO: The Japanese Army Self-Defense Forces have pledged to train and build the capacity of Cambodian troops in responding to non-traditional war security situations, such as online cyber-attacks and other technology related threats, as well as disasters and epidemics. Japan and Cambodia are also planning to hold joint exercises to some extent in the future.
While meeting with the Deputy Commander of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces and the Commander of the Royal Cambodian Army, Lt. Gen. Hun Manet, at the Ministry of National Defense of Japan on Tuesday morning, General Yoshida Yoshihide stated that Cambodia is the first country in Southeast Asia to support Japan's "Free and Open Indo-Pacific” (FOIP) for peace, stability, development, and common prosperity both in the region and globally.
He highlighted the continued support of the Cambodian Armed Forces in capacity building through training in key skills to respond to non-traditional war security situations, such as cyber-attacks and other threats to modern technology, as well as disasters and epidemics, including the support of joint exercises in the future.
Lt. Gen. Hun Manet also recalled the friendship and cooperation between the two countries and thanked the Japanese Government, the Japanese Self-Defense Forces and the people of Japan for always supporting Cambodia in finding peace during the country’s reconstruction in the post-war period, and up to the present day. He also stressed the significant progress made between the two countries in all fields, including the military, since the launch of the strategic partnership between the two governments in 2013, as well as the cooperation and military exchanges between Cambodia and Japan’s Ministries of Defense.
Lt. Gen. Hun Manet further thanked the Japanese side for always assisting the Cambodian Army with training human resources by providing long-term scholarships for active duty officers and staff commanders. The two sides have agreed to continue the current level of communication in order to strengthen and expand the cooperative relations between Japan and Cambodia to be closer and more prosperous between all units and soldiers.
Lt. Gen. Hun Manet is currently leading a Cambodian Army delegation on a four-day official visit to Japan between 14-17 February, 2022, to commemorate the 30th anniversary of Japanese Peacekeeping Operations (PKO) in Cambodia, which was the first overseas operation of the Japanese Self-Defense Forces within the framework of the United Nations.
Additionally, this is the first official visit abroad led by the Commander of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces since the Covid-19 situation improved in Cambodia. This visit also exemplifies the established link between the two countries’ armies, particularly after the first official visit of the former commander of the Japanese Self-Defense Forces, Yuasa Goro, to Cambodia in 2020.
