Japanese Warships Visit Cambodia to Mark Peacekeeping Anniversary

Japanese Warships Visit Cambodia to Mark Peacekeeping Anniversary

Two Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force warships arrived in Cambodian waters yesterday as part of preparations to commemorate the anniversary of Japan’s peacekeeping mission in Cambodia.

Ministry of Defence spokesman General Chhum Sucheat said yesterday that during their stay, representatives from the JSDF will visit Ream Naval Base in Preah Sihanouk province.

“The JSDF warships will dock in Sihanoukville Autonomous Port from March 14 to 17 to commemorate the 30th anniversary of Japan’s peacekeeping operation in Cambodia,” he said.

Gen Sucheat said one of the warships is the URAGA-463, a minesweeper, 141 metres long, 5.4 metres in depth and weighs 5.650 metric tonnes. It has a crew of 126 men and women.

The second ship is the HIRADO-305 which is 67 metres long, 11 metres wide and 2.7 metres deep. It weighs 690 metric tonnes and has a crew of 54 men and women.

“The two ships are under Captain Noguchi Yasushi, the commander of the 1st Indo-Pacific Mine Action Division,” added Gen Sucheat.

He also said that Prime Minister Hun Sen is due to come to Sihanoukville to welcome the Japanese sailors and participates
in a banquet with them today at Sokha Hotel.

Kin Phea, director-general of the International Relations Institute at the Royal Academy of Cambodia, said yesterday that the presence of the JSDF in Cambodia for the 30th anniversary of Japan’s peacekeeping operation in Cambodia shows that the cooperation between the two nations is very deep and comprehensive since a long time ago.

“This cooperation is growing day by day. It is based on mutual respect for sovereignty and mutual understanding. Japan is an important country that helped Cambodia to find peace, especially, the reconstruction and development of Cambodia,” Phea said.

He also said that the visit of the JSDF in Ream Naval Base could help explain to the world that there is no Chinese military base there as alleged by a western country.

After the World War 2 victory over the Japanese military regime, the US imposed a constitution on Japan in which Article 9 forbids it from building an armed forces. However, Japan is allowed to have “self-defence forces.”

According to Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in 1992 Japan was authorised to send its peacekeepers to Cambodia. It was the first time the self-defence force was deployed outside of Japan.

“Eight personnel were dispatched from September 1992 to March 1993; a second contingent of eight personnel was dispatched from March to September 1993. They conducted their duties in teams with peacekeepers from other countries,” said the ministry.

It added that Japan’s peacekeepers’ mission at that time was to control the ceasefire and to supervise the stock of weapons collected from all Cambodian factions. They also had to monitor the ceasefire along the border and kept a lookout for any infiltration of other forces and the smuggling of weapons and ammunition along the border. Khmer Times