By MoT
Phnom Penh, Japanese Ambassador UENO Atsushi Pledges to Promote Cambodia’s Tourism Potential to the Japanese People Based on His Firsthand Experience Traveling Across All Cambodian Provinces and Proposes Exploring Visa Exemption for Japanese Tourists.
H.E. Huot Hak, Minister of Tourism, received a courtesy and farewell call from H.E. UENO Atsushi, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to the Kingdom of Cambodia, on the occasion of the Ambassador’s completion of his diplomatic mission in Cambodia. The meeting took place at the Ministry of Tourism.
During the meeting, Ambassador UENO expressed his sincere appreciation for the close cooperation extended by the Royal Government of Cambodia and the Ministry of Tourism throughout his tenure. He reaffirmed Japan’s commitment to further strengthening and expanding bilateral cooperation, particularly in tourism, human resource development, tourism promotion, and people to people exchanges.
Drawing on his firsthand experience traveling to all provinces and cities across Cambodia, Ambassador UENO pledged to actively promote Cambodia’s tourism potential to the Japanese public. He also proposed exploring the possibility of granting visa exemptions for Japanese tourists traveling to Cambodia.
In response, H.E. Huot Hak expressed his profound gratitude to the Government and people of Japan, as well as the Embassy of Japan in Cambodia, for their continued support for Cambodia’s national development and tourism sector. He highly appreciated Ambassador UENO’s dedication and significant contributions to strengthening the longstanding friendship and fruitful cooperation between Cambodia and Japan, particularly in the field of tourism, throughout his diplomatic mission.
At the same time, Minister also emphasized that Cambodia remains a safe, secure, and welcoming tourism destination, renowned for its warm hospitality and fully prepared to receive visitors from Japan and around the world. He requested Japan’s continued support in promoting Cambodia’s tourism potential, facilitating the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on tourism cooperation between the two countries, expanding direct air connectivity, supporting tourism human resource development, and organizing familiarization (FAM) trips for Japanese tour operators, media representatives, content creators, and investors to experience Cambodia’s tourism offerings firsthand.
In closing, the Minister once again thanked the Government and people of Japan for being one of Cambodia’s most valued development partners. He reaffirmed the shared commitment of both countries to further deepen and broaden their excellent and mutually beneficial cooperation for the prosperity of both nations and their peoples.
It is worth noting that Cambodia and Japan have enjoyed diplomatic relations since 1953. Today, the two countries have elevated their relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Tourism cooperation has continued to strengthen through initiatives supported by the ASEAN–Japan Centre (AJC) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), focusing on human resource development, tourism promotion, and sustainable tourism.
