Japan has traditionally played a deft if quiet diplomatic hand but recently elected Prime Minister Kishida Fumio has raised his country’s voice in Cambodia with a flurry of exchanges designed to counter Chinese influence and improve Phnom Penh’s international standing.
The groundwork began in February when Hun Manet, the eldest son of Prime Minister Hun Sen, made a trip to Tokyo where he presented his credentials as politician, military commander, and nominated successor to his father.
At home, the official press praised the visit but the Japan Times saw it differently, saying that Hun Manet was told that Japan wants next year’s general election to be held in a democratic way – a difficult task given the rounding up and prosecution of his father’s critics.
In full: https://thediplomat.com/2022/04/under-kishida-tokyo-sharpens-its-focus-on-cambodia/
