Twenty-one youths from Cambodia began their eight-day study trip to Japan on Monday as part of the Japan-East Asia Network of Exchange for Students and Youth (Jenesys) project.

In a press release on Friday, the Japanese Embassy in Cambodia said the young people were the successful candidates selected from The Competition for Participating Jenesys 2018 Youth Exchange Program to Japan which was held on October 25, 2018 at the Cambodia-Japan Cooperation Center in Phnom Penh.

As part of the competition, 48 university students from 12 groups made a presentation addressing the theme of The Future of Cambodia in 30 years, with the results measured by each teams’ original thinking and team-work.

The visit is scheduled to run until January 29, with the selected participants set to visit Komatsu city, located in Japan’s Ishikawa prefecture – an area that signed a cooperation agreement with Siem Reap province in 2016.

During their visit to the city, they will participate in a cultural exchange with Japanese university students and make another group presentation on the aforementioned theme.

“They [the students] will also pay a courtesy call to the Mayor of Komatsu city and experience Japanese culture,” the statement read.

The Japanese Embassy hopes that the participants will deepen their understanding of Japan and share their experiences widely with Cambodian people once they return.

Jenesys is a government-sponsored organisation that aims to promote Japanese cultural exchange and understanding abroad. Through the programme, the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has welcomed more than 2,000 Cambodian youths to the country since 2007.

Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport spokesman Ros Soveacha said the Jenesys programme has helped to strengthen cooperation between Japan and Cambodia, while also improving relations between Asean members and East Asian countries.

“Cambodian youth are able to explore Japan’s political and economic situation, its technology, as well as the development of Japan, especially its educational and youth sector."

“There will also be a Jenesys alumni programme in order to maintain relations between Cambodia and Japan,” he said.