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Japan/Burma relations



DATE=3/13/98
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
NUMBER=5-39240
TITLE=JAPAN-BURMA-RELATIONS
BYLINE=THOMAS CALDWELL
DATELINE=TOKYO
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:  

INTRO:  JAPAN RECENTLY RESUMED OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE, 
OR O-D-A, TO THE MILITARY GOVERNMENT IN BURMA.  AS THOMAS 
CALDWELL REPORTS FROM THE JAPANESE CAPITAL, TOKYO'S WILLINGNESS 
TO RESUME AID TO RANGOON HAS SPARKED DEBATE ABOUT JAPAN-BURMA 
RELATIONS.

TEXT:  WHEN THE WORDS "BURMA" AND "JAPAN" ARE MENTIONED IN THE 
SAME SENTENCE, SOME PEOPLE MAY RECALL THE 1957 MOVIE "BRIDGE OVER
THE RIVER KWAI."  THE FILM DEPICTS THE RATHER BRUTAL OCCUPATION 
OF THE COUNTRY BY THE IMPERIAL JAPANESE ARMY DURING WORLD WAR 
TWO.

IN JAPAN, MANY PEOPLE ALSO RECALL A WAR MOVIE WHEN THEY THINK OF 
BURMA.  IT CAME OUT THE SAME YEAR, BUT WITH A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT 
THEME. THE MOTION PICTURE, "THE BURMESE HARP", IS THE STORY OF A 
JAPANESE SOLDIER FIGHTING IN BURMA NEAR THE END OF THE WAR. AFTER
COMING TO REALIZE THE HORROR, IN WHICH HE WAS A PARTICIPANT, HE 
BECOMES A BUDDHIST MONK AND DECIDES TO REMAIN IN BURMA TO BURY 
THE DEAD AND PRAY FOR THEIR SOULS.

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN JAPAN AND ITS ONE-TIME COLONY CAN BEST 
BE DESCRIBED AS EMOTIONAL AND COMPLICATED. JAPANESE VETERANS OF 
THE SECOND WORLD WAR OFTEN VISIT BURMA.  BESIDES THE PRACTICE OF 
OLD SOLDIERS VISITING THE BATTLEGROUNDS OF THEIR YOUTH, THE WORLD
WAR TWO GENERATION HAS FOND MEMORIES OF THE COUNTRY. BURMA IS 
SAID TO BE ONE OF THE ONLY COUNTRIES THAT SENT RICE TO A STARVING
JAPAN AFTER THE WAR.  ENOUGH JAPANESE VISIT THE COUNTRY FOR ONE 
OF THE COUNTRY'S AIRLINES TO SCHEDULE THREE FLIGHTS A WEEK FROM 
OSAKA TO RANGOON.

THE RECENT DECISION BY THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT TO RESUME OVERSEAS
DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE TO THE MILITARY GOVERNMENT IN BURMA HAS 
TOUCHED OFF A DEBATE, OVER WHETHER A NATION'S SYSTEM OF 
GOVERNMENT SHOULD HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH ECONOMIC AID.  THE 
ENGLISH-LANGUAGE JAPAN TIMES NEWSPAPER QUOTES FOREIGN MINISTRY 
OFFICIALS AS SAYING  ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WILL BECOME THE 
FOUNDATION OF DEMOCRATIZATION IN BURMA. 

THIS THEME IS ECHOED BY MANY BUSINESS AND POLITICAL LEADERS IN 
JAPAN.  ONE OF THE PROPONENTS OF THIS IDEA IS KENICHI OMAI, A 
TOKYO-BASED CONSULTANT AND THE AUTHOR OF MANY BOOKS ON ECONOMICS 
AND POLITICAL ISSUES.  LAST YEAR, MR. OMAI ACCOMPANIED SOME 60 
JAPANESE BUSINESSMEN ON A TOUR OF BURMA.  HE SAYS DESPITE BURMA'S
MILITARY RULE, HE BELIEVES THE COUNTRY HAS ENORMOUS POTENTIAL AND
THE RESUMPTION OF AID TO BURMA IS A GOOD IDEA.

                        /// OMAI ACT ///

 OH, I THINK IT IS ABSOLUTELY A GOOD IDEA. I THINK WE SHOULD 
HOWEVER MAKE SURE THAT THE COUNTRY MOVES INTO A MORE DEMOCRATIC 
SOCIETY. THIS MILITARY GOVERNMENT IS NOT SOMETHING WE SHOULD 
TOLERATE. THEY SHOULD DO THE ELECTION, MOVE TO THE MORE 
DEMOCRATIC SYSTEM AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

                         /// END ACT ///

REPRESENTATIVE YUKIHISA FUJITA HEADS A GROUP OF LEGISLATORS IN 
THE JAPANESE PARLIAMENT WHO ARE PRESSING FOR DEMOCRACY IN BURMA. 
HE SAYS THERE ARE GOOD INTENTIONS BEHIND JAPAN'S RESUMPTION OF 
OFFICIAL DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE TO BURMA, WHICH IS ALSO KNOWN AS 
MYANMAR.  BUT HE ADDS THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO ARTICULATE
A COHERENT POLICY, IF IT WANTS TO PLAY THE ROLE OF BROKER BETWEEN
THE  MILITARY GOVERNMENT AND THE COUNTRY'S DEMOCRACY MOVEMENT, 
LED BY AUNG SAN SUU KYI  

                        // FUJITA ACT //

 I THINK IN A SENSE JAPAN HAS BEEN TRYING TO BE A GOODIE-GOODIE 
(TOO WELL-INTENTIONED)  AND IN A SENSE, AS FAR AS THIRD PARTY 
PERSON TRIES TO BE A GOODIE-GOODIE IN ORDER TO BRING 
RECONCILIATION, IT CAN BE SEEN TO BE TOO OPPORTUNISTIC. AND I 
THINK JAPAN SHOULD FORM HER OWN POLICY WHICH IS GOOD FOR THE 
PEOPLE OF MYANMAR. THEN JAPAN CAN BE RESPECTED BY BOTH PARTIES, 
AND THAT KIND OF APPROACH MIGHT BE NEEDED MORE AND MORE FROM NOW 
ON.

                         /// END ACT //

BUT OPPONENTS HERE IN JAPAN OF BURMA'S MILITARY GOVERNMENT ASSERT
THAT THE BEST WAY TO BRING ABOUT CHANGE IN THE COUNTRY IS TO 
OSTRACIZE THE GENERALS IN RANGOON, INCLUDING A CONTINUED CUT-OFF 
OF MONEY.  ANY FUNDS PROVIDED TO THE COUNTRY, THEY ARGUE, WILL 
ONLY BE USED TO PROP UP THE BURMESE GOVERNMENT AND PAY FOR MORE 
MILITARY HARDWARE THAT CAN BE USED FOR REPRESSION.    (SIGNED)

NEB/TC/FC/KL 

13-Mar-98 9:26 AM EST (1426 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
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