MGR Online – Japan has expressed its readiness to send legal experts to Cambodia to help strengthen the country's capacity in international maritime law, particularly under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), as Phnom Penh is pursuing a compulsory conciliation process over its maritime border dispute with Thailand.
Ueno Atsushi, the outgoing Japanese Ambassador to Cambodia, made the remarks during a question-and-answer session at the University of Law and Economics of Cambodia, stating that Tokyo is prepared to expand legal cooperation with Cambodia if the Cambodian government requests technical assistance.
He also responded to a question about whether Japan could support Cambodia in dealing with increasingly complex legal issues concerning UNCLOS, saying that Japan already has extensive experience in providing legal cooperation and is glad to continue doing so.
"If the Cambodian government requests it, we are happy to help, and Japan has many legal experts who have been supporting legal development in Cambodia for many years," said Ueno Atsushi.
The Japanese ambassador further noted that Japan's past legal cooperation has focused primarily on Cambodia's domestic legal system, including civil and criminal law, but said such assistance could be extended to international law if necessary.
"In the past, we have supported the development of Cambodia's laws, which have mostly been domestic laws such as the Civil Code and the Criminal Code. If requested, we may consider expanding our assistance to cover international law," the Japanese ambassador said.
Cambodia formally ratified the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) in 2026, becoming one of the most recent states to join the convention, which Ueno described as a significant move for engagement with international maritime law.
"It is a very timely question because Cambodia has ratified UNCLOS this year," Ueno Atsushi added.
The Japanese ambassador also noted that while Japan has expertise in the convention, he emphasised that any assistance would depend on Cambodia's own request.
"We have many UNCLOS experts in Japan. If Cambodia requests our help, we may be able to send legal experts to assist in building capacity in international law," Ueno Atsushi clarified.
The remarks by the Japanese ambassador came as Cambodia is pursuing a compulsory conciliation process under UNCLOS following Thailand's cancellation of the 2001 Memorandum of Understanding that had governed maritime negotiations.
Cambodian officials have repeatedly affirmed that this legal process concerns maritime boundary delimitation only and does not replace bilateral negotiations over the two countries' land boundary.
Earlier, Ueno Atsushi reaffirmed Japan's longstanding support for the peaceful resolution of international disputes in accordance with international law.
"Our fundamental position is that disputes should be resolved peacefully, whether through bilateral mechanisms or international legal frameworks," the Japanese ambassador stated.
Japan has been one of Cambodia's closest development partners in the legal sector since the early 1990s, playing a key role in rehabilitating the country's judicial institutions following decades of conflict.
Ueno Atsushi said that the same spirit of cooperation could be extended to building capacity in international law if Cambodia finds it beneficial.
"Our legal cooperation is grounded in Cambodia's priorities. If there is a need to strengthen expertise in international law, including UNCLOS, we are open to discussing how Japan can contribute," said Atsushi.
The ambassador's remarks came as his diplomatic tenure in Cambodia was drawing to a close. On 13 July, Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn met with Ambassador Ueno Atsushi for a farewell meeting, during which he commended the ambassador's role in strengthening the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between Cambodia and Japan, and expressed gratitude to Japan for its continued humanitarian assistance and legal cooperation.
During the meeting, Prak Sokhonn also briefed the ambassador on the latest situation along the Cambodia-Thailand border, while reaffirming that Cambodia is committed to resolving disputes peacefully in accordance with international law and existing bilateral agreements.
