The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries has pushed for more Japanese investment in value chains, product quality, and safety in agriculture as illustrated in the meeting where Masahiro Mikami, the Japanese ambassador to Cambodia, discussed the benefits of strengthening the agri-food value chain, export of Cambodia's agricultural goods, and private sector involvement in this industry with Minister Dith Tina. Japan, on the other hand, is a priority trading partner for Cambodia, according to the Ministry of Commerce, for discussions on the establishment of a bilateral free trade agreement. For instance, according to a report from the General Department of Excise and Customs, bilateral commerce between Cambodia and Japan reached $1.65 billion in the first 10 months of 2022, an increase of 14.1 percent year over year. Moreover, Japan received goods worth $988 million from Cambodia, an increase of 7.4% from the previous year.

Reference: Chea, V. (2022, December 6). Kingdom seeks Japanese investment in agriculture. Khmer Times. Retrieved from https://www.khmertimeskh.com/501196919/kingdom-seeks-japanese-investment-in-agriculture/