Prime Minister Hun Sen paid his last respects to the late Shinzo Abe on July 11 at the Japanese embassy in Phnom Penh.
Abe was shot dead while speaking at a political campaign event on the morning of July 8 in the western Japanese city of Nara.
Hun Sen offered his deepest condolences to the government and the people of Japan as well as to his family, saying this is a huge loss and an indescribable pain.
“The passing of Shinzo Abe was not only the loss of a patriotic statesman, who led Japan’s growth and boosted its role on the international and regional stages, but also the loss of a genuine friend of the Cambodian people – and of mine,” he wrote in the official condolence book.
“He had contributed to elevating Cambodian-Japanese bilateral relations into a strategic partnership since 2013, as well as pushed for assistance in support of development in Cambodia,” he added.
Hun Sen wrote that the kind gestures and sincere sentiments of Abe will always be remembered by the Cambodian people.
“Amid these grieving circumstances, may the soul of Shinzo Abe rest in peace,” he wrote.
Cheam Yeab, first vice-president of the National Assembly (NA), led members of the NA Standing Committee as they paid their last respects to Abe at the embassy.
“In this difficult time, on behalf of the Kingdom’s National Assembly, [Yeab] offered his deepest condolences to Abe’s family members and to the people of Japan for the loss of a great dignitary of the nation,” the NA said in a social media post after the tributes.
It said Abe was a genius statesman and a charismatic leader who had contributed significantly to strengthening the long-lasting bonds of friendship between Cambodia and Japan. It also said that he helped achieve peace, stability and economic prosperity in the region and the world.
In his tenure, Abe had provided Cambodia with a great deal of assistance, along with several ASEAN countries, it added.
The NA condemned the “despicable and barbaric” killing of Abe, saying Cambodia joined Japan in mourning the death of Abe.
