International relationsExiled ex-opposition leader says Beijing-backed canal could raise regional tensionsExiled former Cambodian opposition leader Sam Rainsy speaks with Nikkei Asia in Tokyo on Nov. 11. (Photo by Kenji Kawase)November 13, 2026 14:00 JSTTOKYO -- Sam Rainsy, Cambodia's exiled former opposition leader, is urging Japan to rethink its longstanding and relatively soft approach toward Phnom Penh, arguing that concerns over pushing the Southeast Asian nation closer to China are misplaced.