Press Releases
Lunch Meeting hosted by Foreign Minister Taro Kono
with the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and
International Cooperation of Cambodia
On September 19 Mr. Taro Kono, Minister for Foreign Affairs, held a lunch meeting commencing at 11:40 a.m. for approximately 90 minutes with H. E. Mr. Prak Sokhonn, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Kingdom of Cambodia, during his visit to Japan. The overview of the meeting is as follows.
1. At the beginning, Minister Kono welcomed Minister Prak Sokhonn’s first visit to Japan as Foreign Minister and congratulated him on his promotion to Deputy Prime Minister, with expressing his happiness to hold their third meeting this year. Furthermore, Minister Kono explained that since the Cambodian peace process Japan has been working alongside Cambodia to develop the country and advance its democratization, and he stated that he hoped to hold a robust exchange of views regarding the future bilateral relationship to ensure that Cambodia continues to follow the path of democratic advancement.
In response, Minister Prak Sokhonn expressed his gratitude for the invitation to visit Japan, stated that he feels delightful for the major advances being made in the bilateral relationship as the countries celebrate the 65th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, and once again expressed appreciation for the support that Japan has extended thus far.
2. During the meeting the two ministers exchanged views on the preparation for the Mekong-Japan Summit Meeting in October, and shared the view that they would closely coordinate to announce new strategies for the Mekong-Japan cooperation at the Summit, which comprises three pillars of connectivity, people and the environment. In addition, the ministers exchanged views on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the North Korea situation, maritime issues and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).
3. With regard to the domestic situation in Cambodia, Minister Kono once again urged the Cambodian government to promote democratic process by initiating a dialogue among the concerned domestic political figures and ensuring the freedom and rights of the people. Furthermore, Minister Kono expressed his intention to provide support, including by inviting young politicians from Cambodia’s ruling and opposition parties to Japan.