Hem Vanndy, Minister of Industry, Science, Technology & Innovation of Cambodia, met with a Japanese business delegation led by Fumiaki Takahashi, President of the Japan-Cambodia Association (JCA), to explore opportunities for collaboration between the Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) of both countries.
During the meeting held on Saturday, Takahashi reiterated JCA’s commitment to deepening business ties between Japan and Cambodia, particularly following the establishment of a JCA office in Cambodia, Khmer Times reported.
He emphasized the need for direct communication and collaboration between Japanese and Cambodian businesses, aiming to streamline processes beyond diplomatic channels.
The recent inauguration of the JCA office on April 1 aims to boost interactions between Japanese SMEs and their Cambodian counterparts, fostering mutual growth and exploring niche markets in ASEAN and beyond.
Minister Vanndy highlighted Cambodia’s intention to leverage the JCA office for insights into Japanese innovations and collaboration opportunities beyond domestic markets. He emphasized the country’s untapped SME potential and the ministry’s focus on enhancing public services and quality infrastructure to bolster industries.
Identifying key sectors like agro-processing, green technology, and electronics for potential collaboration, Vanndy expressed Cambodia’s eagerness to attract Japanese investment that adds value to local produce and increases productivity.
Kazunori Kato, Executive Director & Secretary-General of JCA, outlined two primary strategies for the new office: collaborating with Cambodian SMEs for product co-production and offering technical and vocational training to enhance the Cambodian workforce.
In addition to engaging with Cambodian businesses, associations, and chambers of commerce, Minister Vanndy proposed that JCA partner with Khmer Enterprise, a government trust supporting Cambodian start-ups and SMEs, to facilitate synergies with Japanese enterprises.
Previously, during a meeting in Tokyo in January, President Hun Sen welcomed the JCA’s office in Cambodia, expressing optimism that Japanese SMEs would create job opportunities and transfer knowledge through investments in Cambodia. Takahashi shared ambitions to attract a significant number of Japanese SMEs to invest in Cambodia, potentially numbering up to 4,000 companies.
