PHNOM PENH, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Japanese actress and essayist Misako Konno will pay a five-day visit to Cambodia this week in her capacity of the United Nations Development Program's (UNDP) Goodwill Ambassador to understand better about the development issues in Cambodia.

    During her visit, Konno will meet with president of the Cambodian Red Cross Madam Bunrany Hun Sen to understand more about the issues of HIV/AIDS and gender, go on to field visits in Siem Reap and Kampong Cham to see projects on biodiversity conservation, water sanitation and landmine, and then talk to women Commune Councilors, according to a UNDP press release issued on Monday.

    She will also meet with Prime Minister Hun Sen to learn more about Cambodia's progress in achieving the Cambodia Millennium Development Goals, it said.

    In her capacity as UNDP Goodwill Ambassador, Konno has been to Cambodia, Timor-Leste, Vietnam and Mongolia. This is her second visit to Cambodia. The first one was in 1999.

    Konno is a known actress and active writer. She played one of the lead characters in a famous play "Sasame Yuki" (The Makioka Sisters). Her science essay "Sora Tobu Hotate" (The Flying Scallop) won the 1995 Japan Writer's Prize.