Keidanren Mission to Cambodia (11.02.2013)

On 8^th February 2013, the Council for the Development of Cambodia (CDC) in cooperation with Japanese Embassy to Cambodia conducted a seminar at Inter Continental Hotel, Phnom Penh, to exchange information and views between Japanese businessmen and Cambodian government officials. A group of Japanese delegation from the Japan Business Federation “Nippon Keidanren” consisted of 60 members, most of whom are high-profile officials from large-scale Japanese enterprises, such as Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd, Toyota Motor Corporation, The Bank of Tokyo, Asahi Group Holdings, East Japan Railway Company, All Nippon Airways Co., Ltd. (ANA), etc.

The delegation led by Mr. YONEKURA Hiromasa, president of Keidanren and chairman of Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd. arrived in Phnom Penh in the afternoon of February 7, 2013 by a chartered flight and was welcomed by officials from the CDC and from the Japanese Embassy upon their arrival at the airport. Prior to Cambodia, the delegation had been exploring investment opportunities in Myanmar.

At the seminar, Mr. Yonekura emphasized that Cambodia does have a potential as a member State of ASEAN and that Keidanren wants to see more investments as well as trade activities between Japan and Cambodia. Meanwhile hailing the achievement of CDC through Japan Desk, an official from Keidanren stressed that Cambodia needs to upgrade her infrastructure, such as roads and electricity and provide sufficient skilled labor forces.

Mr. YONEKURA Hiromasha (center), president of Keidanren

H.E SOK Chenda Sophea, chairing the seminar with Keidanren delegation

H.E SOK Chenda Sophea, Minister attached to the Prime Minister and Secretary General of CDC thanked the delegation for visiting Cambodia. In his presentation, Minister SOK Chenda emphasized to the delegation the unique investment regime Cambodia is providing to foreign investors, such as possibility to do business in all sectors of the economy, no local participation requirement, and free repatriation of capital, etc.

Aside from Minister’s SOK Chenda’s presentation, the Minister of Public Works and Transport also took the floor to present the current situation of roads and ports infrastructures to the delegation.