Japan has gifted Cambodia 15 pieces of heavy machinery worth 500 million yen ($4.5 million) to fix damaged roads. The machinery was handed over in a ceremony attended by Minister of Public Works and Transport Sun Chanthol and Japanese ambassador Masahiro Mikami in Phnom Penh on Monday. “The machinery will be used to build and repair roads,” Chanthol said. He said Japan has always been generous in providing technical support, loan support and grants to Cambodia to build, restore and develop infrastructure. This includes roads and bridges and the port in Preah Sihanouk province. He said grants stimulated economic growth, social development and poverty reduction. Masahiro said economic growth means the number of transport trucks and passenger transport vans has rapidly increased on Cambodia’s roads. Japan recently provided loans to improve National Road 1 and National Road 5. “The machinery donated today will be able to reduce the time it takes to repair roads. This construction machinery will contribute to developing Cambodia’s economy and strengthen relations between our two countries,” he said. Chanthol said Japan has provided grants and infrastructure financing since 1993. That includes $189 million to restore and build national roads 1, 6 and 7, which span 254km in total. Bridges included Kizuna and Tsubasa, which cost $186 million. Repairs to the 10,080m Chroy Changva Bridge cost $30 million. Chanthol said Japan is currently providing grants for bride reconstruction projects in flood-prone areas. The $35 million project involves seven bridges in Prey Veng and Kratie provinces. The 360km National Road 5 has been under construction thanks to a $500 million grant from Japan. The Japanese are also helping to study the construction of another deep-sea port in Sihanoukville. The port is expected to be 14.5m deep and suitable for docking large container ships.