Japan's soft policy on Burma under fire

By Suvendrini Kakuchi
India Press Service: 6 July, 2006

Japan's refusal to join the West in slapping sanctions against the Burmese military, responsible for gross human rights violations, has disappointed activists and development experts who say Tokyo's continued foot-dragging on Burma is wrong.

The United States, Japan's close ally, has been leading moves to get the United Nations Security Council to pressure a regime that Washington has already placed under economic sanctions.

"Nobody disputes that [Burma] needs tangible reforms that will bring democracy and freedom to its people. This is why Japan must pressure the rulers to change or be viewed as double faced when it comes to promoting human rights in Asia," said Kyotaka Takahashi, spokesman for Japan Volunteer Centre, a leading non-governmental organisation.

Experts point out that Japan is now a leading advocate of human rights under the United National Human Rights Forum but its focus seems limited to North Korea which has abducted several Japanese nationals.

"When it comes to Burma, the government views the situation there differently to North Korea because there are no Japanese people involved," Professor Kei Nemoto, an expert on Burma at Tokyo Foreign Studies University, said.

Government officials, however, defend their position and say Japan's stance is for achieving democracy in Burma.

"Japan believes in promoting democracy in [Burma] through dialogue. Sanctions have only led to deteriorating conditions for the ordinary people living in that country rather than promote democracy," said Yoshinori Yakabe, a foreign ministry official.

Japan is not alone in the soft policy of 'engaging' Burma and refusing to place the regime under sanctions. Burma's two most important neighbours, China and India, also follow a similar policy.

Yakabe points out that Western sanctions against Burma, on since 1988 and extended in May after the junta refused to release democratically elected leader, Aung San Suu Kyi from house arrest, have been a failure.

He blamed economic sanctions for the high unemployment rates in Burma.

"Private sector factories have faced the brunt of the poor national economy because of US trade embargo that have, ironically, not hurt government-run institutions," he pointed out.

Japan provided Burma with grants of about US $78 million up to 2004 for humanitarian and environmental projects.

Experts acknowledge that the effectiveness of sanctions in bringing democracy to countries led by violent regimes remains a troubling issue for Japanese foreign policy.

One example of drastic failure has been in Iraq where poverty and illness only increased after the international community refused to trade with the former Saddam Hussein regime hoping that it would collapse on its own.

In contrast, the collapse of apartheid in South Africa and regime change is attributed to an effective trade embargo.

"The effectiveness of sanctions can be debated. But in a case like Burma, Japan, as Asia's largest donor, must send a strong message that shows that the junta will not be tolerated," said Nemoto.

Yakabe, however, ruled out a policy change in Japan despite acknowledging that attempts at engagement by Tokyo have not brought about the necessary reforms in Burma.

"Japan believes in quiet diplomacy. Our most important goal now is to work together with ASEAN countries rather than support sanctions," he said.

Activists, though, are getting impatient. "It is frustrating to wait for the Japanese government to promote democracy in Burma. Our strategy is to raise public awareness about the gross abuses by the junta against its own people and minorities. We are determined to show that Japan's policy of engagement is not helping the people," said Sayaka Miyazawa, of the Burma Citizens Forum that represents Burmese democracy activists in Japan.

Referring to the large pro-democracy rally in April attended by more than 500 people who demonstrated in front of the Japanese Diet, Miyazawa said grassroots support for democracy in Burma is growing.

Activists say the lack of a clear human rights policy within Japan also contributes to slow reaction by the government in bringing change in Burma. For example, out of the 138 applications filed by Burmese nationals for refugee status, Japan has only accepted 43.

Nemoto says Japan's resistance to imposing sanctions does not stem from its own narrow economic interests as suspected in the case of other players such as China that has long been involved in the Burmese economy.

"The economic interest of the Burmese is not an immediate concern for Japan that sees the difficulties of trade with a junta that does not adhere to international rules. Rather, Japan's wavering stance can be attributed to its own inward policie that does not put human rights high on its diplomatic agenda—that too in a country that does not pose an immediate threat to its own nationals or security," explained Nemoto.