Japan envoy Sasakawa meets Myanmar’s Min Aung Hlaing, state media says

Min Aung Hlaing, Myanmar’s junta chief-turned-president, met with Japanese philanthropist Yohei Sasakawa in the country’s capital Naypyitaw on Tuesday, state media reported, as international reengagement with the Southeast Asian nation ramps up after years of diplomatic isolation.

Sasakawa, the honorary chair of the Nippon Foundation who also serves as Japan’s special envoy for national reconciliation in Myanmar, met with Min Aung Hlaing on Tuesday, the state-run Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper reported on Wednesday.

During their talks, the two discussed plans for Sasakawa to provide assistance to “Myanmar’s internal peace process,” as well as support from the foundation to develop the country’s human resources, the newspaper reported.

Myanmar has been in turmoil since a 2021 military coup led by Min Aung Hlaing deposed an elected civilian government, triggering a nationwide civil war that has killed more than 100,000 people and displaced over 3.5 million.

Japan’s Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the visit by Sasakawa, who has long been involved in mediating between Myanmar’s military and the armed groups opposed to it.

In 2022, Sasakawa helped broker a truce between the Myanmar military and the Arakan Army rebel group in the country’s Rakhine State, according to the Nippon Foundation.

However, the ceasefire has since collapsed, leading to renewed fighting.

The United States has already started to reengage with Myanmar, with the two countries holding talks in Tokyo this month.

Japan’s acting envoy to Myanmar also met with the Myanmar foreign minister in October in their first known public engagement, which followed a September visit to Naypyitaw by Japanese ruling party lawmaker Hiromichi Watanabe.