Comment for “Myanmar to Use Japanese ODA-Provided Passenger Ship for Military Use, Transporting Soldiers” [in Japanese]
On April 27, 2023, Asahi Shimbun introduced a comment by Professor Maiko Ichihara, GGR researcher and professor of the Graduate School of Law at Hitotsubashi University. The professor commented on the article “Myanmar to Use Japanese ODA-Provided Passenger Ship for Military Use, Transporting Soldiers.” This article addresses the fact that a passenger ship provided by the Japanese government to Myanmar under its Official Development Assistance (ODA), which is limited to non-military fields, was used to transport soldiers and weapons. Professor Ichihara commented that it was hypocritical for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to only issue an offer to Myanmar to prevent the recurrence of the use of passenger vessels for other purposes, as this does not completely break the link between ODA and military involvement. The Professor further commented that the Japanese government, which has shown initiative in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, but has shown reluctance in the mass murder of civilians by Myanmar’s military, should respond proactively to the situation in Myanmar to demonstrate normative leadership in Asia as a major Asian power and democracy.
