Yuya Sato, Researcher (Associate Professor) of the Institute for Water Cycle System Research, received Cambodia’s Royal Order of Sahametrei Award

Highly regarded international contributions through water supply and sewerage infrastructure

Yuya Sato, Researcher (Associate Professor) of the Institute for Water Cycle System Research, was awarded the Grand Cross, the highest rank of the Royal Order of Sahametrei, by King Norodom Sihamoni of the Kingdom of Cambodia on Sunday, April 6, 2025. This medal is one of the highest decorations in the country, and it is extremely rare for it to be awarded to a foreigner, making it a very prestigious honor.

The award ceremony was conducted by Deputy Prime Minister Hun Many (the younger brother of current Prime Minister Hun Manet and the third son of former Prime Minister Hun Sen) under the royal command of King Norodom Sihamoni. The ceremony was attended by government officials and education officials, who expressed their deep respect for Researcher (Associate Professor) Sato for his many years of contributions to Cambodia.

Over the last few decades, Researcher (Associate Professor) Sato has provided management and technical support for the development of water and sewerage infrastructure in Cambodia, in cooperation with government officials at the minister and vice minister level. In particular, he has been working hard to build a sustainable water resource management system, aiming to correct the disparity between urban and rural areas. In addition, through cooperation with local universities, he has also focused on education support and human resource development, and has made a significant contribution to strengthening the country’s educational foundations through training engineers, research support, and support for the improvement of students’ learning environments. In particular, he has continued to support students who are highly motivated to learn despite facing poverty, in cooperation with local university professors and government officials. These academic research support activities are highly regarded in the Kingdom of Cambodia.

These efforts go beyond simple technology transfer, contributing to building the foundations that support the independence and development of local communities and are an international contribution that is deeply related to Goal 4 “Quality Education for All” and Goal 6 “Clean Water and Sanitation” of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The award is seen as a result of the high recognition of these multifaceted activities.

Researcher (Associate Professor) Sato said, “I am deeply honored to receive such an award. I would like to express my gratitude to the many people who have supported me, and I would like to continue contributing to the international community in the future,” expressing his enthusiasm for further activities.

The achievements of Researcher (Associate Professor) Sato are highly regarded not only in academia, but also in the fields of international cooperation and development aid, and expectations are high for even greater achievements in the future.