A prominent advocacy group is urging Tokyo to confront Cambodia over its political repression during Prime Minister Hun Manet’s visit this month – though observers predict Japan is unlikely to risk diplomatic friction with Phnom Penh at a time of rising regional competition with China.
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In a letter addressed to Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, Human Rights Watch (HRW) called for Tokyo to raise concerns about Cambodia’s sweeping crackdown on civil liberties, citing restrictions on labour rights, press freedom and the harassment of dissidents abroad – including some currently living in Japan.
“It is, unfortunately, unusual for a Japanese government to raise human rights issues when they meet senior officials of other governments,” Teppei Kasai, Asia programme officer for HRW Japan, told This Week in Asia. “But we do know that Japan has raised concerns through its periodic human rights reviews.”
Kasai said he was “hopeful” that Tokyo would address the issue privately during Hun Manet’s visit, even if such discussions do not make it into official meeting agendas or post-visit summaries.
Hun Manet, who succeeded his father Hun Sen as Cambodia’s prime minister in 2023, has continued a campaign to suppress dissent, HRW says. The group has flagged a litany of rights violations, including restrictions on peaceful assembly, limitations on workers’ rights to join labour unions and the arrest of political opponents.
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