Young Leaders Prepare for Japan Exchange

By Heng Reaksmey, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
27 February 2009

A delegation of 20 young political leaders will join others from Mekong regional countries Burma, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam, in a visit to Japan next week.

The delegation, led by National Assembly lawmaker Ly Narun, will visit March 3 to March 12, in what Yone Zawa, first secretary of the Japanese Embassy, said was a first for young Cambodian parliamentarians.

“The purpose of this visit is to promote the exchange of views and experiences among young political leaders in Japan and Mekong countries for future cooperation,” Zawa said.

Pen Sangha, a lawmaker for the Norodom Ranariddh Party, which has three seats in the Assembly, said the purpose of the visit was to gain experience from Japanese for Cambodia’s younger parliamentarians.

Funcinpec lawmaker Heng Hak Lim said he was “proud” to visit Japan, to learn experiences “to correct my country’s politics.”

The program is based on a plan by Shinzo Abe, Japan’s former prime minister, and will eventually bring 6,000 young political leaders to Japan, from countries as far as Australia, India, New Zealand, and Southeast Asia.