H.E. Hidehisa Horinouchi, Ambassador of Japan to Cambodia, has sent his last message to the Cambodian people, at the end of his diplomatic mission in Cambodia.
In the message, the outgoing ambassador recalled the good relations and cooperation between the two countries and wished the Cambodian people good health and happiness and Cambodia-Japan relations to be more prosperous.
His full message released this morning reads as follows:
“It is a little sad to inform you that this is my last message to all of you as the Ambassador of Japan to Cambodia.
Time flies. It is almost 3 years since my wife and I arrived in Phnom Penh in 2016. It was wonderful three years for two of us. Cambodia kept strong development of 7 percent economic growth every year and our bilateral relations between Japan and Cambodia also made a great leap forward. Two way trade, direct investment and mutual visits made a record high and I could participate the completion ceremonies of those symbolic projects of ODA like the improvement of Chroy Chongvar Bridge.
In the political field, I was very fortunate to be able to participate Cambodia-Japan summit talks between His Excellency Prime Minister Abe and Samdech Techo Prime Minister Hun Sen three times in these years. I am grateful to Samdech Techo for his decision to visit Japan every year. Japan has been committed to the promotion of democracy in Cambodia. We kept providing assistance to the electoral reform and after the general election last year, we started a program to invite young politics-oriented people from all walks of life in Cambodia.
I have been also encouraged greatly through SNS in Cambodia. The Embassy’s Facebook has been welcomed very well and we have received such a lot of positive comments from Cambodians young and old.
My wife and I are leaving Phnom Penh next week, but this beautiful Cambodia gave us a dream to be back to this wonderful place in the future. With the new airport, many skyscrapers, new public transportation system, Phnom Penh will be another city in a couple of years. I may have another opportunity to speak Khmer there, however, until then I wish all the Cambodian people good health and happiness and I wish Japan – Cambodia relations even more prospers.”
After Cambodia, H.E. Hidehisa Horinouchi will fulfill his diplomatic mission in the Netherlands.