Legacy Making in Burma

The biggest purpose would have been legacy making. The Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, delivered a joint statement with the President of Myanmar, Thein Sein, which promised a certain amount of aid for the development in Myanmar. While expecting better economic relationship to back Abe’s growth strategy up, and effect of restricting Chinese expansion in Southeast Asia, Abe wanted to build a milestone for Japanese diplomacy toward Southeast Asia.

Abe’s grandfather, Nobusuke Kishi, visited Burma as the prime minister in 1957, and Abe’s father, Shintaro Abe, as the foreign minister, did it in 1983. This is the third time for Abe family to visit the country representing Japan. This family has been eager to develop the relationship with countries in Southeast Asia, sometimes putting higher priority than relationship with the Western countries. Shinzo, with his wife, has personally been involved in a project to build schools in Burma.

In the joint statement, Abe and Thein Sein declared to bring the bilateral relationship to a new higher one, hoping to build permanent friendship and cooperation. Toward that goal, Abe promised ¥91 billion overseas development aid to Myanmar, with cancellation of Myanmar’s debt of ¥200 billion to Japan. Japan will also help nation building effort in Myanmar and provide with human resource for the development.

Both countries will accelerate the process for signing on an agreement for investment, cooperating the development in the special economic zone of Thilawa. Japanese exporters look Myanmar as “the last resort” of Southeast Asia, and expected to contribute revitalization of Japanese economy. Abe thinks this country as one of the important keys to his growth strategy. To encourage investments to Myanmar, he led a great delegation consisted with a number of economic leaders in Japan.

Obviously, Abe has been looking for opportunities for tackling growing influence of China in that region. The joint statement also required the democratization of Myanmar in terms of rule of law, economic reform and reconciliation of the nation, making difference from Chinese developments. To assure security relationship, the statement included further dialogue over regional situation and security and cooperation between security officials.

The fact is, however, Japan is lagging far behind of China in Burmese development. It will not be easy for long-time socialist nation to change its mind to democracy. But, it is also the fact that this revisionist prime minister has few things to do in diplomacy, not having strong position toward US, South Korea and China.