H.E. SHINOHARA Katsuhiro, a Japanese diplomat who first arrived in Cambodia in 1967. He spent his first two years as a monk at Wat Ounalom Pagoda in Phnom Penh to learn Khmer language and culture. He was then assigned as secretary at the Japanese Embassy in Cambodia. He later solidified his relationship with Cambodia by serving as Japanese Ambassador to Cambodia from 2007 to 2009 after returning to Cambodia for two additional three-year postings as Senior Consular Official at the Japanese Embassy in Cambodia (from 1991-1994 and from 2001-2004). He served as Independent Director and Committee Member for Sathapana Bank.