Labour minister Heng Sour (left) and Aihara Yasunobu, president of the Japan International Labour Foundation, signed memorandums of understanding on May 26. Labour ministry
The Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training and the Japan International Labour Foundation (JILAF) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on Monday, May 26. The new agreement aims to strengthen cooperation under a project Supporting Grass Roots Activities (SGRA) through networks of employers and informal workers.
Labour minister Heng Sour led a Cambodian delegation to the signing ceremony in Tokyo, Japan. He presided over the ceremony, along with Yasunobu Aihara, president of JILAF.
According to the ministry, the MoU aims to promote decent work and improve the livelihoods of informal economy workers in Cambodia through vocational training, financial management workshops and the development of Cambodia’s social protection system.
A statement explained that the agreement demonstrates a joint commitment to promoting tripartite cooperation in line with phase one of Cambodia’s Pentagonal Strategy and Japan’s efforts to improve the quality of life for informal economy workers.
This includes workers in unregistered micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, domestic workers self-employed individuals such as taxi drivers, street vendors, small-scale farmers, gig economy workers using digital platforms and others without formal employment contracts, stable income or access to basic social protection.
The JILAF has worked closely with the ministry on this project since 2019, focusing particularly on informal economy workers to ensure no worker is left behind, even those outside the formal employment system.
The ministry announced that the MoU was signed in a spirit of mutual commitment among JILAF, Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, and the Japan office of the International Labor Organization (ILO), to deepen cooperation.
During his visit to Japan, Sour also held bilateral discussions on Tuesday May 27 with Kobayashi Hiroyuki, vice-president of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), to enhance cooperation between Cambodia and Japan — particularly in the fields of technical and vocational education and training (TVET) and skills development for Cambodians hoping to work in Japan.
The meeting focused on expanding TVET cooperation, the Japan Platform for Migrant Workers toward a Responsible and Inclusive Society (JP-MIRAI) and knowledge-sharing initiatives based on the model of Nagano prefecture, Japan, especially in information exchange and capacity development.
Both parties highlighted the importance of the JP-MIRAI project, which aims to protect the rights and welfare of Cambodian technical trainees.
Sour welcomed the expansion of the cooperation model between the labour ministry and Nagano prefecture, particularly in areas such as human resource development, cultural exchange and post-training skill transfer once trainees return to Cambodia.
He also requested further support for modernising training equipment and strengthening the capacity of technical instructors, particularly in the electronics, automotive technology and renewable energy sectors.
Sour asked that JICA help develop easy-to-understand outreach materials — such as videos, brochures or short booklets — to inform Cambodian trainees about their rights, roles and how to access assistance while working in Japan.
