Comment for “UN Special Rapporteur Appeals for Sanctions on Myanmar, Urges Japan to ‘Play a Vital Role.’” [in Japanese]
On April 28, 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 “UN Special Rapporteur Appeals for Sanctions on Myanmar, Urges Japan to ’Play a Vital Role.’” This article discusses the UN Special Rapporteur Thomas Andrews’ recommendation to the Japanese government that ‘its role is important’ in light of the repression and airstrikes against civilians by the national military in Myanmar. Professor Ichihara suggested that the pattern of Japanese corporations making payments through ODA to parties who have been severely committed human rights violations needs to be revised, given the demand for respect for human rights from not only corporations but also the government as outlined in the “Action Plan on Business and Human Rights” formulated in 2020. Furthermore, the professor argued that since the resolution of the Myanmar problem, which is currently left to ASEAN, has not yielded significant progress, and it is assumed that Laos, the next chair country, will find it difficult to take a leadership role in this matter, more proactive Japanese government initiatives are urgently required.
