Japan ODA financed railway projects in Myanmar are proceeding with the illegal junta, an investigation has revealed.

New research conducted by BankTrack and Justice For Myanmar finds that SMBC, MUFG and Mizuho Bank provide considerable loans and financial services to companies with ties to the Myanmar military junta.

Human Rights Now, Human Rights Watch, Japan International Volunteer Center, Japan NGO Action Network for Civic Space and Justice For Myanmar call on the Japanese gov to join targeted economic sanctions, global arms embargo and to review aid.

A joint submission has been sent to the Working Group on Human Rights and Transnational Corporations and Other Business Enterprises by Human Rights Now, Human Rights Watch, Japan International Volunteer Center, Justice For Myanmar and Mekong Watch, concerning Japanese Business Entities Operating in Myanmar.

Human rights activists in Myanmar are raising concerns about a USD$330m real-estate deal between the Myanmar military, Japanese state-controlled financial institutions and major Japanese corporations. The deal has gone ahead with zero civilian financial oversight and despite a high probability that the project will finance the military’s crimes against humanity and war crimes in Myanmar’s ethnic regions.