Phnom Penh (FN), Feb. 22 – Cambodian prime minister Hun Sen thanked the Japanese ambassador, prime minister, foreign minister, defense minister, commander-in-chief of the Japanese Self Defense Forces, and commander of Japan Ground Self-Defense Force for their warm welcomes for the recent visit of Cambodian army commander Hun Manet to Japan.

The premier spoke at the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of Japan-aided sewage treatment plant in Phnom Penh on Tuesday (22 Feb).

"This is a rare and special event. To be honest, if I were the prime minister of Japan, I would not have done it [receive courtesy call by Manet],” the premier added.

On that occasion, Samdech said that the being Japanese prime minister is hectic. Therefore, the way Fumio Kishida welcomed Manet himself represents a special bonds between Cambodia and Japan.

Hun Manet paid a four-day visit to Japan at the invitation of the defense ministry as this year marks the 30th anniversary of Japan's dispatch of Self-Defense Forces personnel to Cambodia as the first case of SDF participation in UN peacekeeping operations.

Manet held separate talks with Japanese prime minister Fumio Kishida, Japanese foreign minister Hayashi Yoshimasa; Japanese defense minister Nobuo Kishi; commander-in-chief of the Japanese Self-Defense Forces general Yamazaki Koji; and the commander of the Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force general Yoshida Yoshihide.
=FRESH NEWS