Myanmar meets with Japan’s lawmaker for 1st time after military takeover
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NP News – Aug 12
Commander-in-Chief of Defense Services of Myanmar Senior General Min Aung Hlaing and the Japan’s lower house member Hiromichi Watanabe from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party met in Naypyidaw yesterday (August 11), according to the news announcement released by the State Administration Council.
This is the first time talk between Myanmar’s general and Japan’s sitting lawmaker after February 1, 2021 political transition.
During the meeting, the two parties exchanged views on plans of Japan to growing cherry plants in the Maravijaya Buddha Park where the world largest sculpture of the Buddha statue will be constructed, the state-owned newspaper ‘Global New Light of Myanmar’ stated. The plan is reportedly for enhancing Japan-Myanmar tie.
Myanmar’s political progresses, promoting bilateral friendly cooperation, and enhancing in economic and investment sectors were also discussed. Myanmar discussed on spreading of false information regarding Myanmar’s political situations among international community and the need to access country’s bona fide information, according to the GNLM.
In recent weeks, anti-government group ‘NUG’ was allowed to open office in Japan. Some Japan’s lawmaker attended the NUG’s office opening ceremony.
Regarding with tie between Japan and Myanmar, a freelance political analyst Chan Thar Toe remarks, “There is no such entity on the world that listens to only one side. The communities usually receive information, opinions and future plans from both sides. Japan usually practiced different approaches between government and the public towards Myanmar since a long time ago."
As a matter of fact, National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma (NCGUB) – Myanmar’s anti-government entity in past three decades in Myanmar history – was also allowed to open its representative office Japan too. But nothing has happened in the history.
In a couple of week ago, a Japanese filmmaker was detained and charged by Myanmar authorities for breaching Section 13(1) of Myanmar’s Immigration Law, violating the visa regulations, and participating as part of the protest which made him charged under Section 505 (a).