Some foreign companies have suspended operations in Burma since the military coup, but analysts say Japanese companies could continue to finance the Burmese military.
About 70 percent of Japanese companies will expand or stay afloat for a year or two, according to the Japan External Trade Association.
Thilawa Special Economic Zone; Yedagun Natural Gas Project; Yoma Central Construction Project; Japanese companies are involved in international Thilawa port projects.
ENEOS Corporation; Sumitomo Corporation; Justice for Myanmar, which conducts research on business associates and companies with the Burmese military, points out that projects being carried out by four Japanese companies, Marubeni Corporation and Mitsubishi Corporation, could be financially linked to the military.
Ko Bunny of the Tokyo-based Myanmar Global Support Foundation criticizes Japan as a country close to Myanmar since its thirty comrades received military training.
ENEOS Corporation, renamed Nippon Oil and Energy Corporation, specializes in oil exploration and development. It is an importer and refiner of crude oil. The company said on March 25 that it intends to withdraw from the Yedagun gas project, Reuters reported.
The decision came amid reports in February that Malaysian-run Petronas and Japan's Mitsubishi Corp were transferring shares in the Yedagun gas project.
Justice for Myanmar sent a letter to Mitsubishi Corporation and ENEOS Corporation asking them to resign from the Yedagun project.
Justice for Myanmar issued a statement on April 20 urging all parties to cut ties with the project, which is flowing money to the military. It has been alleged that Mitsubishi Corporation is operating with Myanmar Oil and Natural Resources, which is not directly invested by the Burmese military.
In the Thilawa SEZ project, Marubeni Corporation has a fertilizer plant project and has appointed a new chairman of the project management committee. Justice for Myanmar says it is concerned that the military may be involved in the entire project.
Regarding the Thilawa port project, a contract has been signed with the Myanmar Ports Authority, but it is unlikely that it will be possible to stop the flow of money to the military as it controls the ministries.
The Yoma Central construction project has suspended construction on state-owned Burma Railways, but said it was concerned that rents could not flow into the Burmese military.
Military Council attempts to take control of Myanmar's financial markets
Last April, the central bank announced that recipients of foreign currency in Myanmar would have to exchange 1,850 kyat to the dollar in one day. Foreign companies, the United Nations and NGOs have been exempted from the rules.
Despite the exemption of organizations that need to handle large amounts of foreign currency, the military council has been criticized for forcing local businesses that rely on foreign exchange earnings to export at a fixed rate to hurt domestic businesses.
Ms Vicky Bowman, director of the Myanmar Center for Responsible Business, which advises businesses on accountability in Burma, said the military council had issued the order to curb the shortage of foreign currency, which was caused by a military coup.
"Although the cause of the shortage of foreign currency in Myanmar is related to the epidemic, This is mainly due to the aftermath of the military coup. Agricultural products in Myanmar Textile exports; Exports such as tourism and natural gas earn foreign exchange. It also comes from foreign investment (FDI). It also comes from international development assistance projects in Myanmar. After the military coup, FDI and foreign aid came to a complete halt. In particular, multimillion-dollar construction projects in Rangoon, such as Amata and Berjaya, have stalled and no foreign exchange earnings have been received. New investments due to lack of trust in Myanmar No more Without new investment, long-term revenue from the gas sector will decline. In addition, the military council has tightened its grip on international aid and aid agencies in Burma. All of these are reasons for the decline in foreign exchange inflows into Myanmar. ”
Ms Vikovy also explained that the military council had issued a mandatory exchange order for people with foreign currency to exchange dollars.
"The military council is exacerbating the shortage of foreign currency as the military council seeks to curb dollar trading and sell it at a non-market price," he said. The military council should not try to control free trade in the market. Businesses will adjust to the volatility of the dollar due to the nature of the market. Businesses fear policy instability more than market instability. "Efforts to control this will increase costs for businesses, delay delays and increase bribery."
Hla Phone Myint of the US-ASEAN Business Council, based in Washington, D.C., said the military council's attempt to control foreign exchange may imitate Russia's response to international sanctions, but it is ineffective because of the situation in Burma.
"The mandate that the dollar be exchanged for the Burmese currency is similar to the way it controls the Russian market when international sanctions are imposed on Russia in the case of Ukraine," he said. The Russian model reduces its reliance on the US dollar. It diversifies the Chinese yuan and gold. In this way, the rupee is kept short. Looking at that model, it looks very similar. In Myanmar, too, sanctions have emerged in connection with the current situation. Foreign investors are also coming out. We are trying to keep the kyat from depreciating while those who are depreciating. One thing is wrong. Russia has a much larger market. Russia's market reserve is estimated at $ 643 billion. So with their market Controlling the ruble rate is a viable option. Myanmar has four dollars. When you go to the market with five billion, it doesn't matter. Citizens' investment ventures are already in full swing. Confidence in the market economy is declining. This is what happens. "
Hla Phone Myint also expressed concern that the military council was violating the central bank's autonomy, one of the most important reforms under the previous government of President Thein Sein.
“One of the legal frameworks that has emerged since the Thein Sein government began reforms is the central bank. The independence of the central bank and the freedom to control the market economy. That is to say, it is declining right now. The military council has given direct instructions to the central bank on what to do. Even on the morning of the announcement, the central bank did not comment on the announcement. There are only instructions. There is no direction on how to implement it. The situation is very bad because I do not even know how to get there. It has become very difficult. ”
Ms Vikovan said the military council should focus on vulnerable populations if it is willing to do so, as rising oil and commodity prices are now hurting low-income groups around the world.
The government provides some of the expenses for low-income households; Temporary programs, such as government subsidies, have been put in place to reduce fuel prices. He said such programs need to be made public in a transparent manner.
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi sentenced to five more years in prison for corruption
State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi was sentenced to five years in prison under the Anti-Corruption Law on April 27 for allegedly accepting gold and dollars from Rangoon Chief Minister Phyo Min Thein, court sources told RFA.
Judge U Myint San of Mandalay Division ruled in the Naypyidaw Special Court. The details of the verdict are unknown, as Suu Kyi's lawyers have been barred from speaking to the media by the military council.
Prior to the trial, Suu Kyi was sentenced to six years in prison on five of the 18 charges. He faces up to five years in prison for corruption, and has been sentenced to 11 years in prison for a total of six cases to date.
The case alleges that Suu Kyi received three hundred thousand US dollars worth of US $ 600,000 and seven pounds of academy gold from Phyo Min Thein between December 2017 and March 2018 under the National League for Democracy (NLD) government.
Bo Bo Oo, a member of the National League for Democracy (NLD) 's Rangoon Division Hluttaw, said Suu Kyi had been jailed despite good opposition to the case, and that the military council's judicial pillar was in question.
" Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has been able to defend herself in the best possible way. There is nothing to show for it. In this case , I have a lot of questions to ask the judiciary during the rule of the militant group . "
Anti-corruption commissioner Ye Htet, who is wanted in the case, testified on October 8 last year that no gold or dollar evidence that Phyo Min Thein had given was confiscated from Suu Kyi.
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi herself responded at a October last year office meeting: "Phyo Min Thein has no reason to give her gold and dollars. There is no reason to take them.
Most ordinary people do not believe that Aung San Suu Kyi took a bribe from Phyo Min Thein. This is seen as a story created to discredit Aung San Suu Kyi.
Ko Zin Ko, from Rangoon, is unhappy that Suu Kyi has been jailed on such charges.
" I 'm very angry because this is absolutely impossible . It 's just degrading her . She 's been sacrificing everything in her life . She has given up her husband, her children and all her wealth and worked for the country .
When Phyo Min Thein was examined as a prosecution witness, he testified that he had given Suu Kyi gold and dollars.
" At a time when the military junta is dominating, there are a lot of questions for the judiciary ."
His former colleagues have criticized him for colluding with the military council. Tun Kyi, a former political prisoner, remarked that Phyo Min Thein had become a victim of history because of this.
" When these things become life -threatening , I really trust my leader . If you respect, no matter how much you torture. Another is in front of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. He could not raise his head in front of the court . His reputation. His past experiences; Experiences are like pouring water on the sand. That is why this act is really a victim of history. "
The case began in early June 2021 and lasted 11 months until April 27 this year.
Prosecutor Khin Maung Myint said the case needed to be appealed to a higher court because it could not prove that Suu Kyi had committed the crime.
" We see legal disputes, " he said. On the other hand, we see that under Section 101 of the Evidence Law , it is not enough to prove that Aung San Suu Kyi committed the crime . Another time , he was threatened under Section 24 of the Evidence Law . Because of torture. Because of the promise. Testimony given as a seduction is not a testimonyIt is clearly stated. In other words , this is a case that needs to be appealed to get a legal order . "
The ruling is in violation of anti-corruption laws and regulations. Rules and regulations Code of Criminal Procedure; Proponents of her case have been working to make the actual transcript of this statement available online.
Political analyst Dr Sai Kyi Zin Soe points out that no country will see Suu Kyi's imprisonment as fair and that international pressure could escalate as a result.
" No country will see such lawsuits being framed ," he said. In particular, the NLD has been barred from playing a political role . Sanctions will affect the sense of injustice. Because of this, even if the current military council does all the right things, it will still have such issues. The reason is that no matter how good they do it later , it's because they's good because they's so good.People will be invisible. That has been the case in the past . "
People close to the court say Suu Kyi, who arrived at the court today, is in good health.
Suu Kyi has been charged with a total of 18 charges since the military coup. So far, six cases have been ruled out and 12 more are pending.