Policy chiefs of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and its two non-Cabinet allies expressed dissatisfaction with a Foreign Ministry plan to resume official development assistance to Myanmar, saying there has been little improvement in the country's democratization.
The three policy chiefs also complained that the Foreign Ministry failed to explain its plans to the ruling parties earlier; they learned about the ministry's plan through newspapers on Thursday. They will discuss next week whether to approve a 2.5 billion yen loan to Myanmar to help repair a runway at Yangon's international airport, according to Seiichi Mizuno, policy chief of New Party Sakigake.
"If Japan takes the lead in resuming its aid to Myanmar, it needs to urge Myanmar to promote more democratization," Mizuno told reporters after an explanatory meeting by Foreign Ministry officials over their decision to resume ODA. Foreign Ministry officials admitted that there has been little improvement in Myanmar's process of democratization, but the aid would constitute an emergency step toward securing the safety of the airport, according to Mizuno.