Japan to support Cambodia in infrastructure, anti-smuggling efforts
April 08, 2018
PHNOM PENH (Kyodo) -- Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono said Sunday that Japan will assist Cambodia in building infrastructure and cracking down on smuggling as he met with Prime Minister HE.

Kono's pledge comes as Japan aims to boost its presence by promoting "quality" infrastructure development under its "free and open" strategy for the Indo-Pacific region.

It also represents Japan's response to the increasing clout of Chinese investment in Cambodia as part of Beijing's "One Belt, One Road" regional infrastructure megaproject. Kono was on his two-day Southeast Asian trip that also took him to Laos.

"I explained that Japan will continue to extend support in the three key areas of logistics, human resource development and strengthening urban functions so Cambodia can develop further," Kono told reporters.

Earlier in the day, Kono and Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn signed an agreement in which Japan will provide two renovated patrol boats to Cambodia to beef up anti-smuggling efforts.

The Japanese government will also extend yen loans of up to around 9.2 billion yen ($86 million) to Cambodia so the Southeast Asian country can build necessary infrastructure to ensure stable electricity supplies in Phnom Penh.
https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/Intern ... ng-efforts

Why Japan won’t criticize HE
While US and EU have sanctioned Cambodian leader's political crackdown, Tokyo has adopted a softer approach to avoid losing ground to China
By David Hutt, @davidhuttjourno Phnom Penh, March 29, 2018 5:44 PM (UTC+8)
- Japanese diplomat Yasushi Akashi once said that his approach as head of the 1992-93 United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC) peacekeeping operation was to “combine patient persuasion with sustained pressure.”

Fast forward 25 years, Japan appears to be employing the same diplomatic approach in declining to impose sanctions or censure Cambodian Prime Minister HE’s repression of the political opposition and hard slide towards authoritarianism.

In November, the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) was formally dissolved by the Supreme Court for allegedly plotting to overthrow HE’s government. In September, CNRP president Kem Sokha was arrested and is still detained on “treason” charges.

But while the United States (US) and the European Union (EU) have imposed sanctions and threatened further punitive measures if there is no political progress before July’s general election, Japan has so far taken a less confrontational approach.

Indeed, while Western critics assert the upcoming polls will be a sham without the CNRP’s participation, Japan continues to provide support for elections HE’s Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) is assured to win. Historically, Japan has been the biggest financial backer of Cambodia’s elections, whether or not they were free and fair.

In January, Tokyo announced that it would continue funding Cambodia’s National Election Committee, a nominally independent supervisory body. Last month, Japan pledged additional funds for new ballot boxes.

Significantly, Japan was not among the 45 countries that signed a strongly worded joint statement on Cambodia at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva earlier this month, Hironori Suzuki, Japan’s embassy counsellor in Phnom Penh, confirmed to Asia Times.

The joint statement urged HE’s government to reinstate the CNRP and allow it to contest the upcoming polls.

Japan’s ambassador to the UN, Mitsuko Shino, issued a much milder statement, saying that Tokyo was “paying close attention” to Cambodia and that it hopes July’s election “reflects the will of the Cambodian people.” Japan’s ambassador to Cambodia, Hidehisa Horinouchi, made a similarly worded statement last month.

Japan’s comparatively soft stance is raising hackles with rights advocates, many of whom are now pressuring Western nations to more severely sanction HE’s crackdown. That’s because Japan has strong political and economic influence in Cambodia.

http://www.atimes.com/article/japan-won ... e-hun-sen/

Japan has a long standing guilt complex. Financial aid pours in to those countries they ravaged in WW2. Do not be too quick to suggest it is by way of supporting HE

CPP Spokesman: Japan and Indonesia Respect Cambodia's Independence and Sovereignty
22/04/18 12:55

Phnom Penh (FN), April 21 - Ruling party spokesperson, Sok Eysan, on Saturday, said that Japan and Indonesia had put great efforts in strengthening democracy and the rule of law in the Kingdom on the basis of respect for independence and sovereignty, and non-interferences into Cambodian internal affairs.

Sok Eysan's statement was made when Sam Rainsy, leader of Cambodian National Rescue Movement, claimed that Japan and Indonesia will help solve his dissolved party issue in Cambodia.
http://en.freshnewsasia.com/index.php/e ... 20-28.html

Japan calls for fair Cambodia elections
Saturday, May 12, 05:46
Japan has called on Cambodia to ensure its general election is held in a manner that reflects the will of the people. The country under the government of Prime Minister HE goes to the polls in July.

Officials from the 2 governments met on Friday in Phnom Penh. They discussed Cambodia's human rights situation. Japan has long provided Cambodia with support for democratization.

The filing of candidates and political parties for the coming poll is already underway.
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180512_11/

Artful Dodger wrote: ↑Sat Apr 14, 2018 5:53 pm Japan has a long standing guilt complex. Financial aid pours in to those countries they ravaged in WW2. Do not be too quick to suggest it is by way of supporting HE

I disagree that it's about guilt.

How much have they given to China or South Korea?

that genius wrote: ↑Sun May 13, 2018 6:16 pm

Artful Dodger wrote: ↑Sat Apr 14, 2018 5:53 pm Japan has a long standing guilt complex. Financial aid pours in to those countries they ravaged in WW2. Do not be too quick to suggest it is by way of supporting HE

I disagree that it's about guilt.

How much have they given to China or South Korea?

They gave more to South Korea than USA did....
http://www.country-data.com/cgi-bin/query/r-12334.html
"Of the total direct investment in South Korea from 1962 to 1986, which amounted to US$3.631 billion, Japan accounted for 52.2 percent and the United States for 29.6 percent. In 1987 Japan invested US$494 million, or 47 percent of the total foreign investment of US$1.1 billion. Japan invested mainly in hotels and tourism, followed by the electric and electronics sector."......
"There was a dramatic rise in foreign investment in the late 1980s. Approvals of foreign equity investments reached an all- time high of US$1.283 billion in 1988, a 21 percent increase over 1987. As in previous years, approvals for Japanese investments were the dominant factor; they totaled US$696 million (up 41 percent from 1987), followed by United States investors with US$284 million (up 11 percent), and West European sources, US$240 million (up 14 percent). Investment approvals in the service sector doubled in 1988 to US$561 million, which included two large Japanese hotel projects totaling US$344 million."


Japan gifts to China......
http://foreignpolicy.com/2010/09/28/jap ... very-year/
Today’s aid adds up to $1.2 billion a year from Japan, followed by Germany at about half that amount, then France and Britain. …

Japan’s generosity has historically been driven at least in part by a desire to make amends for its invasion of China in the 1930s. But in recent years Japanese lawmakers and officials have repeatedly questioned whether the money flow should continue, pointing to China’s emergence as a donor to African countries.

Japan Government Grants Approx. $700,000 for Cambodia’s Development Project
28/12/18 19:19
Phnom Penh (FN), Dec. 28 - The Government of Japan has provided a total grant of US$ 692,500 for the development of the National Institute of Education and Food Security and Nutrition in Kampong Chhnang Province.

The grant assistance was signed on 27 December 2018 at the Japanese Embassy, presided by Japanese Ambassador to Cambodia Hidehisa Horinouchi, and the two grant receiving entities.

The US$396,000 grant was allocated for the development of the National Institute of Education for 4-year term, responsible by Heart of Gold NGO, whose mission is to achieve a share of cross-border, race, handicap, "hope and courage" through sports. About 65 staffs and 200 teachers in the institute and 800,000 students in Cambodia will gain a better environment for physical education.

Another US$296,500 was granted to The International Fund for Development and Relief Fund (FIDR) for the Food Security and Nutrition Project in Kampong Chhnang (Year 2), aimed to assist farmers and partners to promote rice productivity and child nutrition. Approximately 25,000 people in the area will receive adequate nutrition and good healthcare.

The two projects are the fifth and sixth projects funded through the Japan Aid Scheme for 2018 term, April 2018 – March 2019.
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