Japan PM Fumio Kishida meets Cambodian PM's successor

Japan's Prime Minister met with the son and appointed successor of Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen in Tokyo on Wednesday. Hun Manet visited Fumio Kishida at the Prime Minister's office as a courtesy call and the Japanese leader expressed that he would like to deepen the cooperation between the two countries. Earlier this week, Hun Manet, who is currently commander of Cambodia's army, also met with Japan's foreign minister, Yoshimasa Hayashi.

During his talks with Hun Manet in Tokyo, Hayashi welcomed what he described as strong ties between Japan and Cambodia and their close cooperation on Myanmar and other regional issues, Japan's Foreign Ministry said. They agreed to cooperate in dealing with the situation in Myanmar following the military's seizure of power, Japanese officials said.

Hun Manet accompanied his father during his January visit to Myanmar, the first by a foreign leader since the military took power a year ago. Cambodia is the current chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and Hun Sen is leading the group's efforts to ease the Myanmar crisis, which some U.N. experts have characterised as a civil war.

Hayashi has praised Hun Sen's visit to Myanmar as a positive effort to resolve the situation. Hun Sen, who has held power for 36 years, has said he intends to stay in office until 2028 and has endorsed Hun Manet to succeed him. Hayashi also said on Monday that Japan hopes to cooperate with Cambodia in achieving a free and open Indo-Pacific region, which Japan is pushing as a counter to China's increasing influence.