Relationship dossier
Japan
Myanmar
Relationship assessment
Development cooperation persists amid strains following Myanmar’s 2021 military coup.
Japan toward Myanmar
+10Japan has supported Myanmar through development assistance and humanitarian aid. Following the 2021 military coup, Japan suspended new development assistance, while some existing projects and humanitarian support continued; Japan has also called for an end to violence and restoration of democracy.
Myanmar toward Japan
+5Myanmar’s authorities have maintained engagement with Japan. In 2022, they released Japanese journalist Toru Kubota, who had been detained after reporting on protests. The extent of broader government cooperation with Japan is unclear.
Overall relationship
+5The relationship has a foundation of substantial Japanese development engagement, tempered by Japan’s response to Myanmar’s 2021 coup and continuing political repression. Some assistance and bilateral engagement have persisted, but the political crisis has constrained cooperation.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
Japan has been a major development partner for Myanmar, but its response to the 2021 military coup included suspending new development assistance while maintaining some existing and humanitarian support. Myanmar’s authorities have continued engagement with Japan, including releasing Japanese journalist Toru Kubota in 2022, while the coup and subsequent political repression have strained relations.
Areas of tension
- Japan’s opposition to the 2021 coup and calls for an end to violence and restoration of democracy.
- Detention of Japanese journalist Toru Kubota by Myanmar authorities in 2022.
Key developments
Japan suspended new development assistance following Myanmar’s military coup, while some existing projects and humanitarian assistance continued.
Myanmar authorities released Japanese journalist Toru Kubota, who had been detained after reporting on protests.
Major uncertainties
- The scope and implementation of Japan’s continuing aid and humanitarian programs are unclear.
- The extent of Myanmar authorities’ ongoing bilateral cooperation with Japan is unclear.