Japan Casts Doubt on Myanmar Junta’s Election Plans

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Archives 2015

 

Japan has expressed deep scepticism over Myanmar’s military junta’s plans to hold national elections by January 2026, warning that such a move could worsen the country’s political crisis.

 

During a parliamentary session on 21 March, Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya voiced “serious concern” about the proposed elections, stressing that no meaningful political progress had been made. His comments followed junta leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing’s announcement of the election timeline during a visit to Belarus earlier this month.

 

“The Japanese government is seriously concerned that holding national elections while there has been no political progress, such as the release of those detained, including Aung San Suu Kyi, and dialogue to break through the current situation, will only invite more resistance from the Myanmar people and make a peaceful resolution difficult,” Iwaya said in response to an opposition lawmaker’s question.

 

Since seizing power in February 2021, Myanmar’s military has committed widespread human rights abuses, including extrajudicial killings, torture, and indiscriminate attacks on civilians. The junta has also jailed opposition politicians, criminalised their parties, and violently suppressed dissent, making free and fair elections impossible.

 

Compounding concerns, much of Myanmar remains outside the junta’s control due to ongoing conflicts with ethnic armed groups and anti-regime forces. Last October, the junta attempted a nationwide census—ostensibly to prepare voter lists—but completed it in only 145 of the country’s 330 townships. Observers believe the census was less about voter registration and more about tracking opposition activists and conscripting recruits.

 

Japan is not alone in its opposition. Malaysian Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan recently stated that elections in Myanmar were “not a priority,” while United Nations human rights experts have urged member states to denounce the proposed vote as a “fraud.”

 

While Japan’s criticism marks a significant step, analysts argue that Tokyo should take a firmer stance. Calls are growing for Japan to push other governments, including ASEAN states, South Korea, and India, to publicly reject the junta’s election plans and withhold any technical support for a process widely seen as neither free nor credible.

 

 

-2025-03-25