TOKYO - In Myanmar, a pro-military government was established in April this year following a general election orchestrated by the military, which had staged a coup in 2021. This is not democratization but rather military rule in which the army has simply removed its uniform, disguising military control as democracy.
The military regime, which has detained Aung San Suu Kyi -- a symbol of democracy and former state counselor -- and used her as a hostage, has been widely condemned by the international community. Japan has also refrained from sending an ambassador and has downgraded its diplomatic relations. While it has suspended new Official Development Assistance projects, those already underway continue, raising serious concerns that Japanese taxpayers' money may be reaching the military and military-affiliated companies.
Myanmar has become increasingly dependent on China and Russia, with which it maintains close ties. Meanwhile, the Japanese government, aiming to contain China, has continued discreet contacts with representatives and senior officials of Myanmar's pro-military government, as well as individuals linked to the military regime. If Japan treats Myanmar merely as a pawn in its China policy and sustains an ambiguous relationship with the junta, it will also be abandoning the people of Myanmar.
The military has repeatedly conducted airstrikes, burned villages controlled by opposition forces, and terrorized civilians. According to U.N. agencies, the number of internally displaced people has reached approximately 4 million, while many others have fled the country. A regime that kills and torments its own people has neither support nor legitimacy.
Since the country's founding in 1948, the military has exerted influence over the administration, judiciary, police, state-owned enterprises, natural resources, border trade, and even parts of the Buddhist community, becoming virtually indistinguishable from the state itself. Military leaders who control both politics and the economy have no intention of relinquishing power.
What the military fears most is Aung San Suu Kyi. As a symbol of the pro-democracy movement, she has stood against military rule since the late 1980s. She did not yield to detention or house arrest and won broad public support. Her nonviolent struggle was recognized internationally, and she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
Years of effort toward democratization culminated in the establishment of a government led by the National League for Democracy following its landslide victory in the 2015 general election. The NLD also secured a decisive win in the 2020 election; however, on the day the newly elected lawmakers were to convene for the first parliamentary session, the military overturned the will of the people in a coup. The military regime subsequently dissolved the NLD and barred it from participating in the most recent general election.
The military detained the elderly Suu Kyi and imposed a lengthy prison sentence based on charges it unilaterally brought against her. She has not been allowed to see her family, raising serious concerns about her deteriorating health.
China has expanded its influence over the military regime by mediating peace in conflicts involving ethnic minorities. It aims to secure access to the Indian Ocean via the Bay of Bengal. The interests of major powers and the military's strategic calculations are coming at the expense of civilians.
Japan should further strengthen its humanitarian assistance. However, if such aid is delivered through the military, it could become a tool for reinforcing the military regime's control. Therefore, Japan should utilize channels that do not involve the military, such as cross-border aid and assistance through ethnic minority areas and civil society organizations. Active dialogue with pro-democracy forces, ethnic minority groups, and civil society must be central to its diplomatic efforts.
Japan should urge the pro-military government to release Aung San Suu Kyi and others, halt airstrikes, and engage in dialogue with pro-democracy forces and civil society, while maintaining a firm stance toward the military regime. Japan should stand with the people of Myanmar who seek freedom, as the true value of its diplomacy is being tested now.
Freedom and democracy must not be mere slogans used only when convenient. Words alone cannot protect lives, and silence amounts to tacit approval of military rule. What Japanese diplomacy needs are words backed by decisive action.
(Masaaki Fukunaga, a visiting professor at Gifu Women's University, holds a doctorate in sociology from the Graduate School of Banaras Hindu University in India. He specializes in Indian society and South Asian studies.)
