Japan’s Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba is being urged to address human rights issues during the upcoming visit of Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet to Tokyo in late May 2025. Human Rights Watch has highlighted concerns over Cambodia’s suppression of freedom of expression and assembly, as well as the targeting of critics both domestically and abroad.
Teppei Kasai, Asia program officer at Human Rights Watch, stated, “Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet’s visit to Japan provides an important opportunity for Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba to publicly raise key human rights concerns, from press freedom and workers’ rights to Cambodia’s targeting of critics in Japan and elsewhere.” Kasai emphasized that Japan should make it clear that normal business relations cannot continue while such oppression persists.
Human Rights Watch sent a letter to Japan’s Foreign Ministry on April 28, outlining how the Cambodian government under Hun Manet has restricted freedoms and targeted independent media. This includes politically motivated arrests and detentions. The organization noted that Hun Sen, who ruled Cambodia since 1985 and now serves as Senate president, remains influential.
The Cambodian government’s adherence to International Labour Organization conventions regarding workers’ rights has reportedly declined over the past decade. The 2016 Trade Union Law introduced stringent requirements for union registration and representation. Despite amendments made in June 2024 following recommendations by the ILO Committee on Application of Standards, significant legal barriers remain for workers wishing to form unions or engage in collective bargaining.
During its Universal Periodic Review in May 2024, several United Nations member states called on Cambodia to improve conditions for civil society and labor groups. Prime Minister Ishiba is encouraged to urge reforms aligning with international standards during his discussions with Hun Manet.
Transnational repression by the Cambodian government has also been a concern. In May 2024, Sun Chanthy was arrested after returning from Japan where he criticized the Cambodian government. Other cases include Teav Vannol’s defamation conviction in July 2024 and Vannith Hay’s disappearance in August after threats against his brother Vanna Hay, a critic based in Japan.
In October 2024, two envoys pressured Vanna Hay into recording an apology video pledging allegiance to Cambodia’s ruling party. His brother was released shortly after this video was posted online by Hun Sen.
Human Rights Watch calls on Prime Minister Ishiba to demand an end to these practices: “Prime Minister Ishiba should publicly call on Cambodia’s leadership to immediately stop threatening critics both at home and abroad,” they said.
Kasai concluded by urging Japan not to remain silent: “In line with its pledge of human rights diplomacy, Prime Minister Ishiba should use Hun Manet’s rare visit to impress upon the Cambodian government its responsibility to protect the rights of people in Cambodia.”
