J@pan Inc Newsletter<br>The 'JIN' J@pan Inc Newsletter<br>A weekly opinion piece on social, economic and political trends<br>in Japan.<br>Issue No. 468 Wednesday June 04, 2008, Tokyo<br><br>-----------------------------------------------------------<br>
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More about PBXL: <a href="http://www.pbxl.jp/aboutus2" target="_blank">http://www.pbxl.jp/aboutus2</a><br>-----------------------------------------------------------<br><br>Japan and Myanmar<br><br>When Burma looked to rid of the imperial British in the <br>
early 1940s, they turned to Japan for help, seen as the lesser <br>of two evils. However, it quickly became clear that the Burmese <br>independence declared on August 1, 1943, was merely a veil for <br>Japanese colonization. The country remained occupied by the <br>
Japanese military for two years, during which time hundreds of <br>thousands of Burmese citizens were forced into doing hard labor <br>for their colonial masters – building railways and making <br>military supplies.<br><br>
After the war, Japan signed a peace treaty with Myanmar in 1954 <br>and relations were largely characterized by friendliness, with <br>Japan taking an active role in economic development. 'This <br>generally took the form of large amounts of overseas development<br>
assistance (ODA), getting up to the level of $154.8 million a <br>year during the period 1978-88. However, when the current junta <br>seized power in 1988, as with Myanmar's other relationships <br>around the world, its relations with Japan deteriorated: Japan <br>
was unable to exert any significant influence on events there <br>and ODA decreased dramatically. <br><br>On the other hand, Japan has employed a notably different policy<br>towards the rogue regime than the US. It has been actively <br>
involved attempts to engage the country through the Association <br>of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and according to the Ministry<br>of Foreign Affairs in 2005, Its policy was to 'promote <br>democratization and human rights not by isolating Myanmar but by<br>
working patiently and persistently for improvements through <br>ongoing dialogue with the present regime.'<br><br>Relations hit another low-point in October 2007, when Japanese <br>journalist, Kenji Nagai was shot while covering the riots in <br>
Yangon. This caused uproar internationally, saw a swing in <br>public opinion against giving aid to the military regime and a <br>grant of $4.7 million for a business education at Yangon <br>University campus was cancelled. However, there remain staunch <br>
Japanese supporters of the regime, such as former ambassador <br>Yoichi Yamaguchi who has said, 'Isn't it a task the <br>international community should undertake as the very first step <br>to stop tarnishing the image of Myanmar by making Aung San Suu <br>
Kyi a leading actress and the government a villain?' He calls <br>for a more realist approach to Myanmar based on realist <br>principles.<br><br>Things have also warmed up more recently in the wake of the <br>cyclone that hit Myanmar last month. Japan has persistently <br>
tried to get information and has managed to send out a medical <br>team to assist. According to the Embassy of Japan in Myanmar, <br>'The Japan Medical Team consists of 23 members, including one <br>Foreign Ministry official, four medical doctors, seven nurses, <br>
one pharmacist, five co-medical staff, and five logistics <br>staff.' And, despite the dips in popular support, there are <br>some active civil organizations that promote bilateral support <br>such as the Japan Myanmar Friendship Society <br>
(<a href="http://www.jmfa.or.jp/" target="_blank">http://www.jmfa.or.jp/</a>). <br><br>Thus, Japan has retained its commitment to engaging Myanmar even<br>if it has reduced it somewhat. It will be interesting to see how<br>
many more incidents the relationship can survive, and whether <br>
Japan will keep closer in line with other countries in the <br>region, or follow the US and Europeans in taking a stronger <br>stance.<br><br>Peter Harris<br>Editor-in-Chief<br><br>++FEEDBACK<br>Want to comment? It is now even easier to voice your opinion<br>
than ever before! Simply post a comment below this article at:<br><a href="http://www.japaninc.com/jin468" target="_blank">www.japaninc.com/jin468</a><br><br>--------NEW GADGET BLOG: TEKRONOMICON.COM------------------<br>
<br>In collaboration with Gadget Watch, Gadget blog Tekronomicon<br>
offers a detailed look at select gadgets - shiny and strange,<br>from gizmo ground zero in Tokyo.<br>See the gadgets introduced in Gadget Watch,<br>with photos and more at: <a href="http://www.tekronomicon.com" target="_blank">www.tekronomicon.com</a><br>
<br>-----------------------------------------------------------<br><br>++EVENTS<br><br>--------------------------------------------------<br><br>Success in a Super-Aged Society<br><br>Silver Market Workshop on June 13, 2008 <br>
<br>If you have been wondering how demographic change is going <br>to affect your business in Japan, find out more in this <br>seminar by the German Chamber of Commerce and the German <br>Institute for Japanese Studies in Tokyo. This is a unique <br>
opportunity to discuss Japan's silver market phenomenon<br>with marketing experts and to meet the inventor of "Paro", <br>a robot for therapeutic treatment.<br><br>When signing up, state "Japan Inc." to receive a discount.<br>
<br>Space is limited, so register quickly.<br><br>For more details:<br><br><a href="http://www.japan.ahk.de/" target="_blank">http://www.japan.ahk.de/</a><br>-----------------------------------------------------------<br>
<br>250 Bilingual JET candidates looking for work<br>
<br>The JET Programme Alumni Association of Eastern Japan<br>(<a href="http://www.jetaa.com" target="_blank">http://www.jetaa.com</a>) has its annual job fair<br>(<a href="http://www.tokyojobfair.com/" target="_blank">http://www.tokyojobfair.com/</a>) at the Tokyo International<br>
Forum on June 14th from 13:00-18:00.<br><br>Target more than 250 registered bilingual foreigners completing<br>their contracts and former JETs, many of whom have had a wide<br>range of experience. Sponsors will have exposure to the whole<br>
JET and JET alumni community.<br><br>Current and former JET Programme (<a href="http://www.jetprogramme.org/" target="_blank">http://www.jetprogramme.org/</a>)<br>participants are invited as candidates.<br>Tel. 03-4550-1524 / Mobile. 090-9674-7312 or E-mail:<br>
<a href="mailto:info@tokyojobfair.com" target="_blank">info@tokyojobfair.com</a><br><br><br>-------------------- ICA Event - June 25 ------------------<br><br>Speaker: Henry Ng, Head of Professional Security Services<br>
-Asia, Verizon Business<br>
<br>Topic: Bridging the Security Management Gap:<br>How to Move from Point Solutions to Process<br><br>Details: Complete event details at <a href="http://www.icajapan.jp/" target="_blank">http://www.icajapan.jp/</a><br>(RSVP Required)<br>
Date: Thursday, June 25, 2008<br>Time: 6:30 Doors open includes light buffet<br>Cost: 4,000 yen (members), 6,000 yen (non-members)<br>Open to all-venue is The Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan<br><a href="http://www.fccj.or.jp/aboutus/map" target="_blank">http://www.fccj.or.jp/aboutus/map</a><br>
<br>---------- Metropolis and eigoTown.com Party --------------<br><br>Metropolis-Tokyo's favorite lifestyle magazine and<br>eigoTown.com - Japan's premier English language learning<br>website - join together on June 14, 2008 to bring you<br>
The Metropolis and eigoTown.com Party.<br><br>Roppongi hotspot Alife will host over 500 revelers for an<br>evening of fun with people from different backgrounds<br>coming together to eat, drink and make friends!<br><br>Tel: Metropolis(Will Thompson) 03-45502759.<br>
Nearest stn: Roppongi. <a href="http://www.metropolis.co.jp/party" target="_blank">www.metropolis.co.jp/party</a><br><br>CORPORATE SPONSORS WELCOME<br><br>-----------------------------------------------------------<br><br>
-Entrepreneur Association of Tokyo<br>
- 5-Year Anniversary - Monday, June 16th --<br><br>Title: 'Secrets of Entrepreneurial Success'<br><br>Speaker: Mr. Allen Miner - Founder and Chairman<br>and Group CEO of SunBridge Corporation Group<br><br>After being EA-Tokyo's first speaker in June 2003, Mr. Miner<br>
will return to share his secrets of entrepreneurial success.<br><br>After joining Oracle in 1986, Mr. Miner was dispatched to<br>Japan where he founded Oracle Japan. After successfully<br>growing Oracle's business and taking the company public he<br>
left in 1999 to establish SunBridge Corporation, a company<br>that provides a variety of growth-enabling services to<br>start-ups and global enterprises.<br><br>Please sign up early while seats are available.<br><br>Date/Time: Monday, June 16th, 7:00 pm<br>
Location: Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan<br>Language: English<br>Website: <a href="http://www.ea-tokyo.com" target="_blank">http://www.ea-tokyo.com</a><br>-----------------------------------------------------------<br>
<br>++END<br>
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