Tokyo: The Council for the Development of Cambodia (CDC) and the Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO) have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening economic cooperation, with a focus on improving the investment climate, expanding business opportunities and attracting more Japanese companies to the Kingdom.

According to Agence Kampuchea Presse, the discussions took place during a high-level meeting in Tokyo on June 9 between Deputy Prime Minister H.E. Sun Chanthol, First Vice Chairman of CDC, and Mr. Norihiko Ishiguro, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of JETRO. The meeting marked the opening day of Cambodia's investment promotion mission to Japan and was organised by JETRO's Phnom Penh office.

In the meeting, both sides exchanged views and held in-depth discussions on several key aspects, such as the establishment of a Business Co-Creation Team (BCT) focused on improving the investment climate, exploring new business opportunities, and attracting major corporations as well as Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) from Japan to invest in Cambodia. The Deputy Prime Minister also urged the Japanese side to resume direct flights between Japan and Cambodia to support and boost investment cooperation between the two nations.

Both sides strongly agreed on the commitment to strengthen joint activities more actively, with a particular focus on coordinating and resolving any challenges or concerns raised by Japanese investors. This joint commitment aims to ensure efficient investment support services, which serve as a key to retaining existing investors and attracting new ones from Japan.

According to data from the General Department of Customs and Excise, bilateral trade reached US$753.46 million in the first quarter of 2026, up 14.8 percent from US$656.45 million during the same period last year. Cambodia exported US$487.41 million worth of goods to Japan, a rise of 13.2 percent, while imports from Japan increased by 17.8 percent to US$266.06 million.