Japanese Investors Mulling Over Recasting Battambang into Smart City

Japanese Investors Mulling Over Recasting Battambang into Smart City

Plans are afoot for Japan to invest in the Battambang’s silk and agricultural industries besides converting it into a smart city to boost economy in the province.

The plans were discussed during a working meeting between Tamura Tsutomu, Director of the Japan-Cambodia Association (JCA) and General Manager of NIPPON KEI CO., LTD with Sok Lou, Governor of Battambang province last week.

Tamura said the association plans to bring in Japanese investors to Cambodia namely Battambang by April this year to assess the potential there.

Deputy provincial governor Soeum Bunrith told Khmer Times that the province will work closely with Japan’s institutions of city development to turn Battambang into a smart city, after having assessed the potential to develop the province by way of infrastructure, environment, waste management and road development.

“The Governor intends to promote Battambang to Japanese investors and companies with its attractive agricultural sector through the plantation of high-quality rice, red corn and cassava,” he said.

“The available good irrigation system such as the multipurpose Sek Sak dam, Battambang Kanghot Irrigation, Sala Ta Orn Dam and Daun Tri Dam is another attractive factor for the agro-industry,” he said.

Bunrith added that it would not pose a challenge for Battambang to develop a smart transportation system considering its small population of around 125,000. At present, Phnom Penh is the only smart city in Cambodia in terms of transportation. Khmer Times