Cambodia, Japan Explore New Tourism Cooperation

NAGOYA, Japan (Sept.25, 2025) — Cambodia’s Minister of Tourism Huot Hak led a senior delegation and private sector representatives to meet with Aichi Prefecture Governor Hideaki Ōmura on Sept. 24 to discuss new tourism cooperation between Cambodia and the Japanese region.

The meeting, held at the prefecture hall in Nagoya, focused on expanding tourism ties through joint events, market diversification and the promotion of direct flights between Cambodia and Aichi. Officials from both sides praised the tourism potential of their respective destinations, citing shared cultural heritage, rich traditions and UNESCO World Heritage sites.

Hak and Ōmura agreed that strengthening tourism links could boost visitor flows and deepen people-to-people exchanges. The initiative is part of broader efforts to elevate Cambodia-Japan relations, which span more than 72 years.

Japan has been a key development partner for Cambodia since the 1990s, and the tourism partnership was recently upgraded to a comprehensive strategic level. Both sides expressed optimism that enhanced cooperation would contribute to sustained growth in the tourism sector.

Between January and July 2025, Cambodia welcomed approximately 3.84 million international visitors. Cambodia welcomed approximately 65,000 Japanese tourists, according to official data from the Ministry of Tourism.

While Japan remains a steady source market, this figure reflects a modest performance compared to regional neighbors like Thailand and Vietnam. However, with renewed bilateral cooperation—such as the recent tourism dialogue between Cambodia’s Tourism Minister Huot Hak and Aichi Prefecture Governor Hideaki Ōmura—officials are optimistic about boosting Japanese arrivals in the coming months.