Cambodia Probes Company Registration Irregularities Following Japan Times Report

PHNOM PENH, July 10, 2022 (KPT) – Cambodia’s Ministry of Commerce has launched an internal investigation following a report by The Japan Times alleging irregularities in the registration of a private company in 2021. In a notice issued Wednesday, the ministry said it had recently become aware of the Japanese newspaper’s coverage, which noted that the case is also being examined by authorities in Japan. The ministry said its inquiry would identify any officials found to have committed wrongdoing, with legal action to be taken under Cambodian law. It added that cooperation with the Anti‑Corruption Unit would be pursued if necessary. The ministry sought to reassure investors that company registration and related services are conducted through the government’s online business registration platform, introduced in 2020 to simplify procedures, improve transparency, strengthen security and eliminate unofficial payments. Businesses were encouraged to register companies and submit amendments through the digital system or seek assistance from service providers officially recognised by the ministry. A public hotline has been introduced to handle enquiries, while services have been integrated with the Cambodia Data Exchange (CamDX) platform to improve the business environment. The ministry said the government is pressing ahead with its digital transformation programme, aiming to deliver all commercial registration services online under the second phase of reforms launched in May 2022. The Japan Times report highlighted concerns over how the 2021 registration was processed, prompting scrutiny from both Cambodian and Japanese authorities. The case has drawn attention to the integrity of Cambodia’s registration system, which the government insists is being strengthened through ongoing reforms.