Phnom Penh (FN), Nov. 16 - Press Secretary Takeshi Osuga of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan issued a statement on Friday regarding the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC)’s Judgment against former senior leaders of the Khmer Rouge regime.

“The Khmer Rouge Trials are the crucial step toward the conclusion of the entire peace process in Cambodia, and will contribute to delivering justice and strengthening the rule of law in the country. In light of this, Japan has been playing a leading role in the international community in extending support for the trials,” according to the statement.  

“Japan strongly hopes that the trials on the remaining cases are held even more expeditiously and that its mission be completed successfully, bearing in mind the advanced age of both the accused and the victims,” it added.

Japan has provided roughly 86.34 million US dollars (69.80 million dollars to the international side and 16.54 million dollars to the domestic side), or about 30% of the international assistance for the Khmer Rouge Trials, since they began in 2006.

Today, ECCC convicted former senior Khmer Rouge leaders NUON Chea and KHIEU Samphan of genocide, crimes against humanity and grave breaches of the Geneva Conventions of 1949. The crimes were committed at various locations throughout Cambodia during the Democratic Kampuchea period from 17 April 1975 to 6 January 1979.
=FRESH NEWS