A False Claim Says Hun Sen Gets Hemodialysis in Japan
As Cambodia’s former Prime Minister Hun Sen visited Japan last week, a claim circulated on social media said the ruling party leader went there to get hemodialysis due to his critical health situation. The claim had been shared many times along with comments and reactions. However, by reviewing his official social media posts, we found the claim was false.
SOCIAL MEDIA CLAIM
A Facebook post said former Prime Minister Hun Sen and his sons and daughters went to get hemodialysis in Japan because his health was in a critical situation, and he was unable to grasp his hands.
The claim has been shared many times and many social media users reacted to and commented on it.
Below is the capture of the claim circulated on social media on January 10, 2023, saying “Do you know why Hun Sen gathered all of his sons and daughters and traveled to Japan? It is because he needs to get hemodialysis because of his critical health situation. He is more critical, being unable to grasp his hands. He does not know if he could return home alive.”
FACT CHECK
Fact Crescendo Cambodia began debunking the claim above by reviewing the former premier’s social media posts revealing why he needed to travel to Japan. Then, we found out the facts below.
The ruling party leader – the President of the Supreme Privy Council – stepped down from the premiership last August. Since then, he has stayed low from the spotlight for several months.
On Tuesday last week, he and his sons and daughters traveled to Japan. He announced his trip to Japan in his official Facebook page post, saying he needed to get his artificial eye changed there.
His Facebook post also uploaded four photos of him leaving a luxurious car, and his sons, daughters, and granddaughters on a flight board.
Below is the capture of his Facebook post on January 09, 2023, saying “On board flying to Tokyo, Japan, to get my artificial eye changed, which I have used for 34 years (1990-2024). Having used the artificial eye made by Japan for the last 34 years, I have never gotten headaches or eye pain, completely different from the one I used from 1975 until 1990 which caused me eye pain and headache. In 2017, the Japanese government made five artificial eyes for me, and this time the government is making another five artificial eyes for me to use for the next ten years or one each year. This is the result of war tearing the country apart. That’s why I led this country to peace and tried to keep peace in this country. Thanks to the Japanese government and medical team for taking care of my eye for the last 34 years.”
Three of the photos show Hun Sen’s hands in different moves after he emerged from his car and onboard such as he grasped his granddaughter, showed V fingers, and held a phone in his left hand.
Two days later, another Facebook post said the former premier met and discussed with Imamura Masahiro – the President of the Japan-Cambodia Parliamentary Friendship Association – on January 10.
Three photos in the Facebook post show the moves of Hun Sen’s hands in different directions such as pointing his finger to someone or something, raising his left hand, and both hands holding a phone and showing to his counterpart.
Below are the three photos uploaded on the Facebook post on January 11, 2023.
Later that day, his official Facebook page uploaded photos of Hun Sen meeting and discussion with former Japanese Foreign Minister Komura Masahiko one day earlier. The photos depict him shaking hands with his counterparts.
See the photos and information circulated on Facebook page on January 11, 2023.
On that day, his Facebook page posted a news saying Hun Sen met and discussed with Akashi Yasushi – former President of the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC).
Like previous meetings, seven photos show the moves of Hun Sen’s hands in different directions during the conversation with Akashi.
Hun Sen’s Facebook page posted another his meeting with the Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio at the government house Thursday evening. Photos in the Facebook post show Hun Sen shaking hands with Kishida.
Hun Sen also clarified in the Facebook post that his health is fine until the opposition extremists would be wiped out from Cambodia. See the Facebook post below.
day later, Hun Sen arrived home country, and a 27-sec video shows him walking toward his waiting car after he got out of the airplane. See the video below.
However, our finding is only based on photos and information posted in Hun Sen’s Facebook page because we could not find any medical clarification to prove his health situation.
CONCLUSION
Fact Crescendo Cambodia find out the claim mentioned above is false. Cambodia’s former Prime Minister Hun Sen traveled to Japan last week to get his artificial eye changed. He did not get hemodialysis as the claim said.
