TOKYO - SOME 400 people took part in a rally in Tokyo on Saturday to mark the 20th anniversary of Myanmar democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi's party and protest last year's brutal military crackdown.

The demonstrators, mostly Myanmar and Japanese nationals, marched through a park in the capital's entertainment district of Shibuya carrying National League of Democracy flags and pictures of its leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

'We would like to ask Japanese people and the Japanese government to help us release all the political prisoners and Aung San Suu Kyi,' they chanted.

In a rare break from Western nations, Japan maintains friendly relations with the military regime in Myanmar.

Activists wearing ethnic Burmese costumes carried a banner that read: 'It was the NLD that won the election. The military junta must stop dictatorship.'

The party was formed after a 1988 uprising and won 1990 polls by a landslide but was never allowed to take office.

Last September, the military regime broke up major anti-government protests in which the United Nations estimates at least 31 people were killed including a Japanese journalist.

'The rally is also aimed at protesting against last year's brutal crackdown on anti-government protests,' said organiser Thaung Myint Oo. -- AFP